LUCKY-to-be-alive young mother Lisa Priest counted her blessings twice over as she left the North-East for a new life in Australia yesterday.

Two years ago, the 27-year-old, originally from St Helen Auckland, County Durham, nearly died when she suffered a brain haemorrhage.

She was so ill, she warned her mother and father, Kevin and Irene Graham, when they visited her at her hospital bedside, that she would be unable to give them grandchldren.

But her life changed dramatically after she fought her way back to health.

In January, following a whirlwind five-month romance, Lisa brought her Australian fiance Geoff Priest, 28, home for their wedding and in June they became the proud parents of twin girls.

The couple and babies Imogen and Jaedo travelled north last month to stay with Mr and Mrs Graham, in Simpson Avenue, St Helen Auckland, before flying out from Newcastle last night to Geoff's home town Canberra.

So many friends and relatives wanted to say goodbye that the St Helen community bus was brought in to transport them to the airport.

Mrs Priest, who has been told she can lead a normal life, said: "The doctors told me I was lucky, even to make it to the hospital, but look at me now.

"First, it was that I was getting married; then I was expecting; then it was twins; and then, I was emigrating to the other side of the world.

"So much has happened that it seems like it happened to someone else.

"It has changed my perspective on life. If bad things happen I just think every day that I am here is a bonus."