A baby girl, the youngest patient in the country to have an ICD fitted, has returned home after 223 days in hospital.

Carina Marcangelo spent the bank holiday weekend with her family in Esher after finally being discharged from Great Ormond Street Hospital following a life-changing nine hour operation.

The one-year-old, who had cardiomyopathy diagnosed in July last year, was given a second chance at life after being on the waiting list for a heart transplant for five months.

Carina’s parents, Nicole and Darren Marcangelo, were delighted to take home their daughter when she got the all clear after she needed further surgery to stop bleeding following the transplant.

Mr Marcangelo said Carina’s sister, Emily, was beside herself when she welcomed home her sibling on Friday, May 24.

He said: “Carina’s mum cannot stop crying – tears of joy for a change. Still in disbelief that the four of us are sleeping under the same roof tonight. We are just so excited about starting the rest of our lives together as a family.”

The family thanked all the staff who helped to look after Carina and her donor family and reinforced their appeal for more people to sign up to the organ donor resister.

Mrs Marcangelo posted on Facebook: “Thinking of and thanking Carina’s donor family today. We have spent the most amazing day together as a complete family. This was only possible because of them.”