NO couple could have had a better Christmas present than David and Jo Lawrence who have welcomed home their four-year-old son George after major heart surgery.

George arrived home at Drake's Avenue, Devizes, in time to attend the nativity play at Lavington Playgroup with his mother.

She said: "We were expecting him to spend Christmas in hospital, but to have him home, and with the operation so successful, is beyond our wildest dreams."

George was born with a complex heart condition and his heart stopped beating when he was only nine hours old. When he was two days old he underwent surgery, the first of three open-heart operations that he has had to endure.

An operation to improve the oxygen circulation was carried out last month.

Seventeen days later George was home, and Mr Lawrence, 40, a lance-bombardier based at the Royal School of Artillery, Larkhill, and Mrs Lawrence, 30, were thrilled.

George has been put on a very low fat diet but on Christmas Day he will be able to tuck into all his favourite foods, especially cheese.

Mrs Lawrence said: "It's like ten Christmases rolled into one. The surgeons were apprehensive about doing the procedure so close to Christmas but it has all worked out brilliantly ."