THE family of a Wearside girl who battled back from a life-threatening illness, is planning a massive party to celebrate her homecoming.

Melissa Gibson, aged ten, has suffered a traumatic year, which included undergoing four major operations in one month.

Parents Eileen Mitchell and Ian Gibson were told three times by doctors that their daughter was going to die.

But Melissa, who also suffered terrible health problems in the first five years of her life, is fighting fit again.

The youngster, from Hylton Road in Sunderland, developed severe bowel problems after she was born three months prematurely, weighing just 1lb 15oz.

She underwent an emergency colostomy operation and spent several weeks in hospital fighting for her life.

Melissa had a total of nine operations before she was five years old, mainly to remove parts of her bowel.

She seemed to have overcome her problems, but last July she contracted gastroenteritis, and her condition worsened.

She was admitted to Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary in October, and underwent a series of major operations. She eventually had an ileostomy operation last month.

Her mother, Eileen, said: "The doctors told us three times they thought she was going to die and to expect the worse, and they even talked about a bowel transplant."

But Melissa battled back and has been allowed home, less than two months after her last operation.

Now the family is planning a party to make up for all the occasions Melissa missed while she was in hospital.

And her parents, who have been engaged for ten years, plan to make Melissa's dream of being a bridesmaid come true - at their own wedding, due to take place in the New Year.