Baby Zoe now breathing on her own

Zoe was born with a heart valve which was too narrow

An 18-month-old girl who had a heart transplant after suffering six cardiac arrests is now off a ventilator and breathing on her own, doctors said.

Zoe Chambers, from Hull, was put at the top of the European heart transplant list last weekend after experts said she had just weeks to live.

A donor was found for her and she was operated on at Newcastle's Freeman Hospital early on Thursday.

Doctors said that Zoe was now "recovering well".

Days before she was put at the top of the list, a heart had become available but doctors said it was too large for Zoe, who was born with a heart valve that was too narrow.

A Freeman Hospital spokeswoman said: "She is no longer on life support and is continuing to make good progress.

"Zoe's parents are with her and able to care for and comfort her."

'Best chance'

It was then that her situation became regarded as desperate.

Her parents Rob and Julie have been keeping vigil with her at the Freeman Hospital, which is a leading transplant centre.

Before the operation, her 33-year-old mother said: "She is desperate. She keeps getting infection after infection.

"She needs a transplant as soon as possible to give her the best chance."

It is unclear where the donor heart came from.

But hospital officials said that because Zoe's case was so serious, if a suitable organ was found anywhere in Europe it would be flown to Newcastle by private jet.