A GRANDFATHER who lost the only record of his granddaughter's fight for life has made an appeal for help in recovering the treasured memento.

Kenneth Whittaker, of Kinross Close, Blackburn, lost the video tape of premature baby Heather Pope when he misplaced his camcorder in Blackburn on Saturday.

He said: "We're all heartbroken. They were the only pictures we had of our little treasure."

Heather was born four months premature on July 18, weighing only one-and-a-half pounds.

Despite doctors saying she probably would not survive, and being blessed by a priest because she was close to death, the little battler has fought on and looks like pulling through.

She now weighs over five pounds, but is still in intensive care and hooked up to a life support system.

Mr Whittaker, 68, was returning home after seeing Heather at Queen's Park Hospital. He caught the number 33 bus at 3.40pm and then went into TJ Hughes to buy a cap. He only noticed he had lost the camcorder afterwards when he was going home.

"I called the police, the bus company and TJ Hughes but they've all said nothing has been handed in.

"I can't stress how much these pictures mean to us. We haven't been able to take any photos because she's had an operation on her eyes and they could be damaged if we use the flash."

"They're our only record of the first few months of her life. They're priceless."

He said baby Heather had spent the first few months at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester before she was recently transferred to Queen's Park in Blackburn.

Mr Whittaker's wife Margaret, 64, said the whole family was distraught.

"Heather's seven-year-old brother Nathaniel was close to tears the other day. All he could say is 'What are going to do now grandma?'

"The baby's mum Pearl spends every minute at the hospital by her bedside. She's there until 10.30 every night and her dad, Glynn, spends as much time as he can there but he has to look after Nathaniel."

"All we want is for the camcorder to be returned. If anyone has it or knows someone who has it please return it to the police or to the Telegraph.

"There will be no questions asked and there will be a small reward."