A BABY who spent the first 26 minutes of her life without a heartbeat has celebrated her first birthday.

Little Isla Simpson reached the milestone with her family and friends surrounding her as she blew out the candle on her birthday cake.

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And her mum, Becky Simpson, described her daughter, who wasn’t expected to survive during the first few days, as a ‘little star’.

The Clayton-le-Moors resident said: “It has been a whirlwind of a year, but we can’t explain how happy we all are. She really is a little star.”

Isla was immediately given CPR when midwives at Burnley General Hospital realised she was not breathing and they had almost given up hope when her heart finally started.

She spent a week on a ventilator in the hospital’s Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit and it was still touch-and-go as to whether she would pull through.

The family were then warned the tot may have difficulties as a result of the trauma, and she has got brain damage, cerebral palsy and has to be fed through a tube.

But Becky, 21, said that although Isla isn’t crawling or sitting up like other one-year-olds, she is just as bright as them.

The mother-of-one said Isla loves Iggle Piggle and CBeebies and enjoys interacting with other babies.

She said: “Really, she might not have made it, so when she is babbling away and talking, it is so sweet. You wouldn’t know she has severe brain damage. She communicates and interacts really well.”

Becky, who works in recruitment at North Lancs Training Group in Accrington, said support from her mum Michelle, sister Bethany and friends Katie and Rachel, had helped her cope.

The former pupil of Rhyddings Business and Enterprise School in Oswaldtwistle, said: “This year has been scary but rewarding.

“It has been a mixture of emotions really. We have a lot of appointments to attend and it is quite hectic.

“She needs to be fed every two hours but because she is my first I don’t know any different.”

Becky praised the nurses and doctors at the Women and Newborn Centre who helped save Isla’s life.

She said: “I’m just so grateful for what they did.

“They were fantastic and without them she wouldn’t even be alive.”