A YOUNG woman who defied medical opinion and was once nicknamed a miracle baby has died suddenly at the age of 24.

The family of Leanne McArthur have paid tribute to their daughter and sister, who died peacefully at her home in Darlington on May 1, as a result of complications associated with her epilepsy.

Despite having to undergo frequent operations and visits to hospital throughout her short life, Miss McArthur was described as always being "happy-go-lucky" and never let the treatment get her down.

Miss McArthur developed epilepsy after contracting meningitis and an abscess on the brain when she was six months old.

At the time, doctors warned her parents that it was unlikely that she would ever walk again.

Her mother, Ann Bleasby, said: "We used to take her to Darlington Memorial Hospital's Child Development Centre where she was known as the miracle baby.

"Eventually, she did sit up, then she crawled and finally she walked - all the things she wasn't supposed to do.

"She went through a number of operations, but she always came back out of hospital with a smile.

"She had one major operation about four years ago, which cut part of the affected area of her brain out.

"She just bounced back, noting bothered her in the slightest.

"She got on with her life as it came to her and was a very happy-go-lucky girl."

Miss McArthur attended Springfield Primary School and Haughton Secondary School in Darlington.

She then went to Darlington College where she studied for a qualification in child development.

Ms Bleasby said: "Everything she did at school was done with great difficulty but with a lot of courage. Her teachers always used to say that they wished they had more of her.

"She loved kids and really wanted to work with them. When her nephew, Bobby, arrived last year, she absolutely adored him. We were very proud parents to have had a daughter like Leanne."

Wherever she went, Miss McArthur made friends and often used to go out to clubs. She particularly enjoyed going to bingo at Elverton Club.

Her younger sister, Laura McArthur, 20, said: "She was great to grow up with. We had our moments, but she was always there for you.

"We used to help each other out when stuff went wrong."

Miss McArthur's funeral takes place on Wednesday, at 1.30pm, at St Andrew's Church.