A WHOLE community will celebrate a tragic family's new baby joy.

Lowton is full of great expectations with the news that Barbara Barlow is pregnant.

Barbara, husband Steve and their daughter Megan (pictured), are thrilled - 18 months after losing darling daughter and loving sister Rachael in a tragic battle against cancer.

Everyone throughout Journal-land prayed for the Barlows during little Rachael's courageous but vain fight against cancer.

Now those prayers have in some way been answered.

Although the void left by little Rachael can never be replaced, the Barlows are looking forward to November 24.

Eight years-old Megan burst into tears when she heard her mother was pregnant.

Her reaction summed-up the family's new-found joy:"It will be like a proper family again."

And ecstatic father Steve spoke of his and Barbara's delight.

"We see it as a way forward to try and rebuild our lives. Nothing will ever replace Rachael - I'm sure she's with us in our wish for a healthy baby.

"On Friday Barbara will have a scan and we want to know if it is a boy or a girl."

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