A baby born with badly disfigured facial features could be out of hospital by the end of next week, her family today said.

Maria Aziz Al-Rafi has been in a paediatric intensive care unit in hospital since suffering a seizure, brought on by blocked airways caused by a severe medical condition.

The 14-week-old child was born with Goldenhar's syndrome, a condition which left her face deformed and airways partially blocked.

News of her imminent release came as it emerged that medical tests have been carried out by hospital staff.

Earlier this month Newcastle's Royal Victoria Infirmary won the legal right to decide, over and above the wishes of her parents, what course of treatment she needed.

Medical experts said at the time that little Maria needed an urgent tracheotomy to ease her breathing difficulties.

Her parents Suzanne Taylor and Aziz Rafi agreed in court earlier this month that doctors at the RVI could carry out any immediate treatment.

The child's grandfather, John Taylor, today told PA News that an exploratory investigation was carried out late last week.

He said: "A medical investigation has been carried out. Maria's doing well and gaining weight. She was 4lbs when she was born and is 10lbs now.

"The parents are delighted with her progress, they are with her constantly. There's a room down at the hospital where they are staying.

"She will be coming out in about a week."

Mr Justice Bodey, presiding over the earlier case in the Family Division of the High Court sitting in Leeds, ordered the parents, Newcastle Social Services and the RVI not to speak to the media.

Mr Taylor, who was not included in the order, said he had not been informed whether or not a tracheotomy was going to be needed.

He said: "We don't know yet whether she will need a further operation. I don't think that's as much of an issue as they stressed at the time."

Maria was taken to the Newcastle hospital when she arrived from Saudi Arabia at the start of the month.

Her parents had previously refused to allow specialists to carry out vital medical procedures because they feared for the safety of their daughter.

The matter entered the legal arena when hospital staff were forced to seek an emergency police protection order after Maria suffered acute respiratory arrest brought on by a complete obstruction of her airway.

She needed to be resuscitated and taken to paediatric intensive care. Her parents threatened to remove her from the hospital because they believed their baby's life would be endangered by having the operation.