A BOY born with a rare heart defect is enjoying Easter at home after major surgery.

Daniel Smith looks like any other four-year-old boy as he plays with his trucks on the living room carpet.

But the youngster was born with a rare heart defect, hypoplastic left heart syndrome, which affects just one in 5,000 people.

The disease, where the left side of the heart does not develop properly, means Daniel endures countless hospital visits as medics monitor his progress.

Nineteen days ago he was in Birmingham Children's Hospital after the last of three operations that should keep his heart going until he will need a transplant as a teenager or young adult.

His condition means the right side of his heart has to pump blood around the whole body, putting it under greater strain.

He gets out of breath after short walks and has to be taken to school in a special pushchair.

But the youngster is determined not to let his condition hold him back.

His mother, Ann, of Leeholme, near Bishop Auckland, said: "He does cope very well with it. He does not know any different.

"He will try to keep up with other children, but he finds it very hard.

"Even though he can't run about, he'll give it a go.

"He never, ever complained in hospital. He had to have chest drains in every other day."

Daniel's condition has left the family aware of the importance of donors.

Ann said: "We need people to look on the other side of the fence and think how they would feel if it was their child that needed a donor."