THE family of a Worcester baby who spends her life hooked up to a feeding machine are praying she will be well enough to celebrate her first birthday at home this week.

Little Lauren Davis was born with a rare digestive disorder at the Royal Infirmary last May, unable to hold her food, vomiting and suffering from diarrhoea.

But after a year in and out of Birmingham's Princess of Wales Children's Hospital, her mother, Amanda, was delighted when her daughter was allowed home last week.

She is now hoping Lauren will be well enough to remain at home in Essex Close, Dines Green, to celebrate her birthday on Friday.

"This is the longest she has been home and she is doing really well," said Amanda.

"We're planning a little party for her birthday and hope she will be well enough to enjoy it."

Grandmother Josie Cornes said 14 days at home was the tot's record.

"We have to take her back in every time she starts suffering," she said.

Lauren is one of only five people in the world who have the defective gene, which means she cannot break down body salts and loses her bodily fluids.

To gain nutrients, the "chirpy, happy child" spends 14 hours every night on a parental line feeding machine and is fed through a tube in her nose every day.

But Mrs Cornes said they hoped a specialist in Birmingham, who is meeting the family this month, would be able to give them some answers.

"We have been told she'll never get over this," she said.

"But we remain optimistic as the time Lauren spends in hospital is getting shorter.

"These past few months have been quite an ordeal but it's just amazing that she's here at all."