TODDLER Jude Phillipson is only two years old, but he has already saved his big sister's life.

Simone Phillipson, nine, was born with a rare bone marrow deficiency which affected her heart, hands, body and brain artery.

Specialists said that without an urgent transplant she would die before reaching her teens.

Now, her life has been saved after Jude donated his bone marrow.

Simone, from Washington, Tyne and Wear, said: "I am really pleased Jude helped me. He is only little but he has made me happy again."

Born with Fanconi anaemia, Simone became one of only about two dozen sufferers in the world with the condition.

It meant she had restricted hand movement, a heart problem and a dislocated hip. Last May, the youngster also suffered a stroke.

Mother Ellen, 42, said: "Without Jude's bone marrow, Simone would have died. She needed it to save her life.

"It is wonderful to think that when Jude is older, we will be able to tell him about the gift he gave.

"I'm very proud of them both."

The Phillipson family, including father Damien, 44, knew there was only ever going to be an 18 per cent chance of Jude being both healthy and a donor.

His mother said: "It was a relief that Jude hadn't inherited the condition, but when we heard he was an ideal match for Simone, it was incredible."

While Jude underwent the procedure at Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary, Simone was admitted to Newcastle General Hospital's Children's Bone Marrow Transplant Unit where she waited for her brother's gift of life.

Doctors had predicted that, sometime between the age of three and 12, Simone's bone marrow, which is essential to the body's immune system, would have failed.

Simone, a pupil at St Bede's School, in Washington, said: "It was nice of my brother to help me. I feel fine at the minute and it's all because of him."