MIRACLE child Beth Heaton celebrates her third birthday today. Beth, of Testbourne Close, Totton, was born with aplastic anaemia, which prevented her body from producing new blood.

Her parents, Stuart and Karen, were warned Beth would die within months unless she received a bone marrow transplant.

Her elder sister Emma made a moving appeal which resulted in thousands of potential donors contacting the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust.

Ironically the successful "match" turned out to be someone who was already on the trust's register.

Beth underwent a bone marrow transplant at the world- famous Great Ormond Street Hospital, London, in December 1999 and made rapid progress.

Last year her name was removed from the hospital's "terminally ill" list.

Mrs Heaton said her daughter was continuing to do well.

When Beth celebrated her second birthday last year, among the best wishes she received was a card from the donor who gave her the gift of life.

Signed simply "Mark" and enclosing a dress worn by Beth at a tea party to celebrate her big day, it sparked a search by Mr and Mrs Heaton to find the man who saved their daughter.

Under rules laid down by the Anthony Nolan Bone Marrow Trust, donors and recipients are barred from having any direct contact for some time, so Beth's card and dress had been sent via a third party.

But last year, in an emotional meeting at Marwell Zoo near Winchester, Beth came face-to-face with 25-year-old computer expert Mark Bewick from Peterborough.

Beth's parents and sister Emma took turns to give Mark a grateful hug on what Stuart called "the greatest day of our lives".