Parents George Skinner and Nicola Andrews have received a setback in their bid to give a normal life to their daughter, who was born without kidneys.

Tiny Alice Skinner's mother and father have been praying for a miracle since their daughter was born almost two years ago with the rare condition, which affects only one child in a million.

She has already had to undergo seven operations, is fed through a tube in her stomach, spends ten hours a day on dialysis and has a problem with the base of her spine.

Both Mr Skinner, 33, and Ms Andrews, 32, from Hartlepool, had hoped to provide the miracle themselves, by offering a kidney of their own.

But in the past few days, doctors found that a kidney from carpet salesman Mr Skinner, whose blood group is different from Alice's, would not be suitable.

Ms Andrews said: "When George got tested there was no match, but there was a bit of hope. The hospital thought there could be a way round it. But they rang on Friday to say they could not do it.''

Now Ms Andrews has said that she wants to be tested as a possible donor.

"Ideally, it would be best for her to have a child's or small adult's kidney. But it's not impossible, she could be given an adult's kidney,'' she said.

"Ten kilos is the magic weight to reach to have a transplant and now she is over ten kilos, this would be possible.

"George has been ruled out. It's possible I could be tested at some point.''

Alice, who is nearly two, is to have a scan and tests next month at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, when she could be put on the transplant register.

The family, who live in Templeton Close, launched an appeal in her name last summer and have so far raised £6,000 to help North-East children who have kidney problems.

The couple are holding an auction in March. Lots include a football shirt signed by the England squad, a signed copy of George Best's autobiography, a £1,600 fireplace, £1,000 worth of flooring and a prize from Nestle UK.

But what has overwhelmed the couple has been the number of strangers who have offered to donate a kidney for Alice.