Two hero uncles saved their choking niece's life when they gave her mouth-to-mouth until she started breathing again.

Panic broke out at a family birthday party when 18-month-old Elli Morris, who is still recovering from an operation on her throat, began to turn blue with a piece of bread wedged in her mouth.

As Elli's body began to turn lifeless, quick-thinking uncle Brian Manders, a trained nurse, knew he had to act fast.

He began giving Elli mouth-to-mouth as she was not breathing. Then, along with brother Anthony, a teacher, they ran with Elli, still giving her vital first aid, to a nearby medical centre in Normanby, near Middlesbrough.

Anthony tried putting a finger in Elli's mouth to dislodge the obstruction and even slapped her on the back but the infant's body remained limp.

A health centre doctor joined in the frantic lifesaving operation, while a nurse tried to give unconscious Elli oxygen.

Then, suddenly, the trapped food moved and slowly Elli began to turn pink again, as her uncles looked on.

Yesterday, she got a special hug from her family after she made a full recovery.

Uncle Brian, 29, a learning disabilities nurse, said: "It was a very traumatic - but we just had to get on with it and save Elli's life.

"We knew we had to act fast because, while we had dialed 999, we knew it could be five minutes before the paramedics arrived and Elli didn't have that amount of time.