A BABY girl given just an hour to live after being born weighing little more than a bag of sugar has returned home as her parents said today: "She's our tiny miracle".

McKenzie McGurk was born by Caesarean section nearly four months early weighing just 1lb 12oz . Her twin sister Michigan Lexus, was still born.

Because she was 15 weeks early McKenzie suffered a series of life-threatening complications.

She was anaemic and underwent four blood transfusions. Her lungs were bleeding and she had holes in her tiny heart. When medication failed to close them she was taken to Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool for a two hour operation.This week, after four months in Queens Park Hospital, parents Sean McGurk and Kerry Parkinson were finally allowed to bring McKenzie, who now weighs 6lb, back to their home in the Livesey area of Blackburn.

Surrounded by cards and gifts from friends and family Sean and Kerry, both 20, today told of their delight and feared McKenzie may never have come home.

Sean said: "We were told to take each hour as it comes, not even the days and when things were getting better something else would go wrong.

"When she went to Alder Hey the hospital said she might not even survive the journey never mind the operation but she is a real fighter and very strong.

"She is a miracle baby this one."

Kerry was expecting twins and the pregnancy had been fine until she was awoken one November morning after her waters broke while she was asleep in bed.

Sean called the ambulance and she was taken to Queens Park Hospital where less than an hour later the twins were delivered by Caesarean section.

Michigan was still born and because of the complications McKenzie was immediately rushed to the Special Care Baby Unit.

The first time Kerry and Sean got to even see their baby was at midnight that night and had to wait more than a month before they were allowed to hold her.

Kerry said: "It was so hard seeing her with all these wires and needles in her and not being allowed to hold her and when we did on New Year's Eve it was brilliant.

"She was so tiny."

McKenzie faced a battle to survive and has amazed her parents at her progress.

She will still have to undergo regular check-ups and is to have a scan on three cysts on her brain although is doing fine.

Michigan was cremated at Pleasington Crematorium and her ashes are held in an urn at the family home.

Although still mourning her death Kerry and Sean are delighted McKenzie has survived.

Kerry, who thanked all the staff at Queens Park Hospital, said: "We can see Michigan in McKenzie because they were identical twins and we will be able to see what Michigan would have looked like when McKenzie grows up.

"I wish they were both here but I'm just glad I could bring McKenzie home."