BIRTHDAY celebrations for a North-East girl who was born without kidneys have been marred by news that an urgent operation might have to be put on hold.

Brave youngster Alice Skinner, of Hartlepool, is two years old tomorrow, but last week doctors told her family that her bladder would not be strong enough to endure transplant surgery.

It mean she will have to have dialysis for ten hours a day until she is six years old.

"It is possible that she could have the operation now, but she would have to have a bag outside her body and have major reconstruction on her bladder when she is older," said her father, George Skinner.

"We thought it was a case of a straightforward transplant but we have been told that her bladder is too small for the operation and would kill off a new kidney straight away."

As well as caring for Alice, Mr Skinner, 33, and his 32-year-old wife, Nicola, spend their time raising money for The Alice Skinner Appeal, which was set up to help Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary unit.

They have organised a charity auction at the Grand Hotel, in Hartlepool, on April 25, but the couple hope they can do even more for their daughter.

Mr Skinner said: "I went in for tests last year because I hoped that I could give Alice one of my kidneys, but was told I wasn't a perfect match. Now Nicola is waiting for the results of tests to see if she is a match.

"We would love Alice to be a healthy child and we just want her to have a normal life."