SHE looked as pretty as a picture, dressed in gold and cream with a sparkling tiara in her hair.

Bridesmaid Emma Standish, aged 11, enjoyed every minute of her mum's wedding.

It was a far cry from 18 months ago when the little girl was given just hours to live after suffering heart failure, sparking a nationwide hunt for a donor.

But all that was behind them yesterday as the whole family gathered to watch mum Deborah Cartwright, dressed in white, wed her long-time partner Darren Davidson at St Peter's Church, Farnworth.

A small crowd braved the rain to watch the bride and Emma arrive at church in a Daimler.

During the ceremony, Rev Felicity Shaw made reference to the family's ordeal over the past two years.

Rev Shaw said: "Every family has its ups and downs and your family seems to have had its own fair share of the joys and sorrows. But you saw this through."

Emma was struck down with a virus which attacked her heart in summer 2000.

She suffered organ failure months later and was found a donorn heart with just hours left to live after a huge appeal.

But Emma was a picture of health as she fussed around her mother, making sure the train on her dress was perfect.

The shy little girl said simply: "It's a very happy day."

Deborah, of Philips Avenue, Farnworth, added: "Darren proposed in February and seeing as we've been together for eight years, I thought that it was about time we made it official!

"It seems like a lifetime since Emma had her transplant, but I still remember every detail and every minute of it all.

"We've had our bad moments and we now deserve this happiness. We're going to enjoy our day."

Deborah's two sons, Adam and Christopher, were ushers and her sisters Julie and Dawn were also bridesmaids.