FAMILIES of two little girls both born with serious heart problems are this week facing new challenges.

Parents of Emily Hudd, six, had hoped the latest in a long line of operations carried out last week was a total success.

But she had to undergo further surgery after complications arose.

Emily, of Ladyfield Road, Chippenham, was born with only half her heart working.

The plucky youngster had the latest of a long line of operations at Bristol Children's Hospital on Wednesday last week, when surgeons used a cardiac catheter camera to close off a shunt - a tube inserted to help her heart work more effectively.

Emily has two shunts, and one was closed off in an effort to give more oxygen to her lungs.

Unfortunately the first coil did not work effectively and last Thursday Emily was taken back into the operating theatre and a second coil was fitted.

By late Friday Emily was well enough to come home and the brave little girl was keen to get back to Frogwell School on Tuesday, after recovering over the Bank Holiday weekend.

Emily's mother Vikki Hudd said her daughter had seemed very well when she came back from the hospital with her dad Robin.

"She came back with a MacDonald's Happy Meal, and she was glad to be going back to school," said Mrs Hudd.

"It was a lot for her to go through, going in for an operation two days in a row, but she seemed back to normal."

The Hudds had feared Emily might have to return to hospital yesterday after she began to feel unwell. But she rallied over the course of the morning, staying home from school and taking a nap.

Mr Hudd admitted the situation was a constant worry.

"It is a struggle," he said. "But we've got to get on and deal with it."

Emily, who has two sisters, Melissa, eight, and Charlotte, 18 months, was supposed to have this operation months ago but it was postponed three times.

First Emily was laid up in hospital for three weeks when she broke her leg, and then she developed a cold, which caused the operation to be postponed twice more.

Meanwhile, the parents of Emily Bayley, who had 23 operations before her third birthday and fought against all the odds, are thrilled that their four-year-old daughter is now strong enough to start school.

Emily was born 31 weeks premature with a perforated bowel and a hole in her heart.

Since being born she battled against septicemia, meningitis, brain damage and a host of health problems but she has always remained courageous and determined.

"She is a go getter. Whatever situations she is faced with she will fight it all the way," said mum Sam Bayley, who lives in Hatton Way, Corsham, with Emily and her father Matthew Bayley.

But despite being constantly in and out of hospital for the first few years of her life, Emily is doing extremely well and is as active as she can be.

"She still gets tired more easily than most kids and her eyesight is poor although it has got better. But to look at her you wouldn't know there was anything wrong with her," said Mrs Bayley.

"She is not one of these kids who sits indoors and watches TV all day. I think she is going to be one of those kids who will go into bungy jumping and do all sorts of mad activities."

Her parents are very excited about the prospect of Emily starting school in September.

"It brings tears to my eyes thinking of her going off to school in her uniform. It is such a big thing for her," said Mrs Bayley. "We never used to think about the future and to think of everything she has faced, she has done really well to get here."

The Bayleys are hoping to hear within the next few weeks that Emily has a place at Chippenham's Frogwell School.

"We can't wait to get her uniform and see her in it. We want to get lots of pictures of her in it," said Mrs Bayley.

Emily is currently attending Honeypots Pre-school in Corsham but she is also excited about going to the big school.

"She loves school and she loves painting. She misses it when it is the holiday. She also loves swimming and has no fear. She will just jump in the pool with me straight away," said Mrs Bayley.

Doctors hope that Emily will not have to undergo any more surgery for at least 18 months until she has grown and is stronger.

"We can't speculate at what the future will hold but she is doing well," added Mrs Bayley.