Baby joy for house fire family

The fire devastated the whole community

A mother who lost three children in a house fire is to have a new baby after her sterilisation operation was reversed.

Judith Braine and her husband David lost three of their children in a fire at their home in Widdrington, Northumberland, in March 2001.

Mrs Braine was desperate to have another child but was refused a sterilisation reversal operation on the NHS because her youngest son, Lewis, survived.

Now the couple are preparing for the birth of their longed-for baby after Michael Burke, a consultant at a private hospital in Washington, Tyne and Wear, reversed Mrs Braine's sterilisation for free.

A new child is not a replacement for the ones we have lost - we can never forget them

Judith Braine

The couple lost six-year-old Leah, her five-year-old brother Darren and sister Demi, three, when fire swept through their home in March 2001.

Mrs Braine, 32, escaped with Lewis in her arms as her husband frantically tried in vain to save the others.

Later they decided they wanted to try for another baby and give Lewis a new brother or sister.

After being refused by the NHS, Mr Burke offered to step in and help.

Healthy baby

Mrs Braine underwent the procedure in July and has recently found out she is pregnant.

Mrs Braine told the Evening Chronicle newspaper in Newcastle: "We have no preference for a boy or a girl as long as the baby is healthy.

"It is very important for us to have another child especially after what happened.

"A new child is not a replacement for the ones we have lost. We can never forget them.

"But he or she will have tons of love from all three of us. We can't wait."