A SPECIALIST Hampshire medical team has saved the life of a toddler whose heart was punctured by a falling television.

Laura Grinham's heart was pierced when the family television toppled on top of her, knocking her unconscious and putting her life in grave danger.

But only four days after suffering the potentially fatal injury, the 18-month-old is now happily toddling around her hospital ward thanks to a life saving operation at Southampton General hospital's Wessex Cardiac unit.

Laura's mum Christine, 35, said: "It goes without saying that the surgeons here and the staff were exceptional.

"This kind of thing always happens to everyone else and it is frightening when it is your own child involved."

Around 7.30 on Sunday morning Laura was playing with her brothers Matthew, six, and James, three, in the lounge of the family home in Farley, Salisbury.

Suddenly James and Matthew rushed upstairs to tell their Dad Darren that Laura was trapped underneath the television.

Darren, 35, rushed downstairs to find Laura unconscious underneath the TV set. He noticed bruising around her chest and called an ambulance.

Laura was rushed to Salisbury Hospital before being transferred to Southampton General where she underwent a life saving two-hour operation to close a 1.5cm hole in her heart.

Consultant cardiac surgeon Stephen Langley, 37, said: "I've never seen anything like this type of injury before.

"She has done very well we are all very pleased."

Associate specialist Dr Espeth Brown who helped to detect the injury said: "This type of injury is incredibly rare.

"If we had not operated within three or four hours she would have died.

"She is really lucky to have survived and to have reached hospital for the operation.