A girl who was not expected to live past the age of three, has defied doctors by starting school this week.

Naomi Maddison-Roberts spent her first year fighting for her life but she joined the other children starting at Loose Infant School, in Maidstone – something her parents never expected to see.

Her mum Jill, 39, said it was nothing short of a miracle that her daughter, who turns five in October, had managed to get to school.

She said: "Naomi was born with most of her bowel missing and we knew there was something wrong right from the off.

"She had surgery at a day old and she was quite a severe case. When we saw the surgeon after the operation, we asked about the prognosis and he was very cagey.

"He said one in three children born with the same condition do not make it to school age.

"She is, quite simply, our little miracle."

Jill said Naomi loved her first day at school and added: "She had no problems at all and came back full of what she had been up to."

Naomi, whose brothers Joseph, nine, and Zak, seven, are at the same school, did not have an ideal start in life.

After her initial operation, she had another at three months old, when surgeons tried to stretch the little bowel remaining to give her a chance to tolerate food.

She was fed intravenously and had a line put into her heart, which put her at constant

risk of blood poisoning and almost shut down her liver.

At one point, doctors told the family that without a transplant she would probably die.

Jill spent three nights a week in a room at Lewisham Hospital, while her daughter’s life hung in the balance.

She said: "There were times when I didn’t even think she’d ever come home.

"Sometimes she’d be fine and then her breathing would change and it would take hours or days just to stabilise her.

"She had infections every few weeks, which didn’t help her failing liver. There were lots of times when I expected to be called into her room to say a final goodbye, but she always seemed to bounce back."

At 11 months she was transferred to King’s College Hospital in London for a liver transplant.

Fortunately, it was not needed because as her strength returned her liver regenerated.

At 14 months, Naomi was finally able to go home to Copper Tree Court, Loose, Maidstone.

She now leads a normal life, playing with her brothers and dad Ian, 43.

Jill said: "The operation at three months undoubtedly saved her life.

"She was able to have more milk, which helped her fight off infections. She really is amazing. We can’t describe how we feel now that she has made it to school."

Naomi will hopefully have a normal life expectancy, but will have to avoid doing anything that could put a strain on her liver because of the previous damage.

"It’s a small price to pay for her life though," Jill said.