CYSTIC fibrosis sufferer Amanda Baggott who beat the odds six years ago to have a baby boy is celebrating the arrival of her second child!

Daughter Shannon Rose was born a healthy 7lbs 1oz two weeks ago.

Amanda is one of only a handful of cystic fibrosis sufferers worldwide to have had two children.

The 22-year-old, who has had the condition since birth, told the Bury Times: "I am so overjoyed with Shannon Rose.

"Doctors told me that having a baby could take three years off my life. But I would rather live a shorter life with a family than have a longer life without." Her first child, Connor, was born in 1994. Amanda said that doctors were a "little hesitant" when she announced she wanted a second child.

During her pregnancy, Amanda had to come off some of the medication which keeps her illness under control.

"The doctors are amazed at how well I am doing and I can't believe it myself," she said.

Amanda, who lives with her partner Michael Wosser in Walnut Avenue, Bury, added: "But I don't feel special, I just feel like any other mum." Amanda has been under the care of Fairfield Hospital all her life and has had to endure strong medication, including a drip, antibiotics and a nebuliser every day.

She said: "I couldn't have gone through this without the support of Michael or my mum Joy. They have been fantastic and really helped me through.

"They are always there for me when I feel run down or tired when the condition takes hold."

A spokesman from the Cystic Fibrosis Trust said medical advances meant more sufferers are going on to lead as normal a life as possible. "This is a really good news story. It offers hope to people who have the condition. It is still quite rare for them to have children because of complications the condition causes, but the chances of sufferers having children is increasing all the time."