TEENAGER Kimberley Stobbs got the birthday present she had been wishing for - being back at home with her family.

The youngster, from Burnhope, near Consett, County Durham, was diagnosed with leukaemia in August.

Her sister, Kate, ten, donated bone marrow to Kimberley in January for a life-saving transplant.

The family then faced an agonising wait, with Kimberley being discharged from hospital twice, then re-admitted.

She finally returned from hospital in time to celebrate her 15th birthday yesterday.

Her mother, Marie Lumley, said: "Kimberley came home about a month ago, and the very next day she had to go straight back to hospital because she had an infection. We were all so upset.

"But this time, she is home for good. She is so happy to be at home again, and she will be able to go back to school soon."

The family held a party for Kimberley's birthday and homecoming on Friday at the Wishing Well pub, in Burnhope.

Her father, Frank Stobbs, said: "We are so pleased she is finally home. Now that she is home, everything can get back to normal.

"I had to stop work for a while so that we could stay at the hospital and it was really exhausting.

"Kate is over the moon to have her big sister back and she has a bit of normality back as well. She can go and play with her friends after school, instead of to the hospital.

"Kimberley is seeing her friends again, and she has been going out for the day every so often.

"She is going into school this week and can start attending again after half term."