Baby born with heart outside body is home from hospital in time for Christmas

A baby from Nottingham, who became the first in Britain to survive being born with her heart outside her body, is home from hospital in time for Christmas.

Doctors at Glenfield Hospital in Leicester delivered her safely after her parents ignored advice to have the pregnancy terminated.

Vanellope was born in November last year - although her due date was actually last Christmas Eve.

She was brought into the world early after scans showed her heart was growing outside her body.

Five babies in a million are born with the condition called ectopia cordis. They have less than a ten per cent chance of survival.

A fifty-strong team of medical staff delivered Vanellope at Leicester's Glenfield Hospital.

There followed complex surgery to open up her chest and fit her with a special jacket to protect her heart until it naturally sank into her body.

Now, thirteen months old, Vanellope is the first baby in the UK born with her condition to survive.

Vanellope had a brief home visit in September. Now, though, she's back for good - to the delight of her big brothers.