A WORLD famous opera artist has today issued a heartfelt thank you to staff at a Norwich hospital who helped ensure her premature baby won her fight for survival following an emergency caesarean.

A WORLD famous opera artist has today issued a heartfelt thank you to staff at a Norwich hospital who helped ensure her premature baby won her fight for survival following an emergency caesarean.

Soprano Rebecca Knight, one half of singing sensation The Operababes , gave birth to her baby girl, Saffron Lotus Vine, at the Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital last month.

Saffron weighed just 5lb 40z when she was born at the NNUH at around 2.15am on January 13 and spent five days in the intensive care baby unit before being allowed home.

Ms Knight, who lives in Beccles with her husband, award winning classical producer Noel Vine, has today paid tribute to staff who cared for the couple's first child in the days following her dramatic entry into the world.

The 38-year-old said: “All the staff were really helpful, I cannot thank them enough for what they did.

“It was especially hard because I could not see Saffron at first because it was thought I might have the winter bug virus, so I was quarantined, it was quite emotional, but the nurses and staff in the unit were just fantastic and really helped us.”

Ms Knight said her daughter is now recovering well from her ordeal.

She said: “Saffron is catching up fast, considering she only weighed 5lbs 4oz when she was born, now she is 7lbs 2oz and she is a really contented little baby.”

Ms Knight revealed she is planning on going back to work around April time, starting work again with her singing partner, Karen England, who herself gave birth to a baby, Freya, nine months ago.

Ms Knight said: “I will definitely be going back to work around April, it would have been sooner but for having the caesarean, people may think it is the easy option, but it's not.”

The Operababes, met in Cambridge while performing Mozart's The Magic Flute, in a touring opera company.

They started busking in London's Covent Garden in 1998 and were spotted in 2000 by a passer by who happened to book the entertainment for the FA Cup Final.

They sang at the first FA Cup Final held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff and within 12 hours had five major record deals on the table.

After signing a six figure deal to SONYBMG, they released their debut album, Beyond Imagination, which reached Number 1 across the globe.

Since then, they have performed for kings, queens, popes and presidents all over the world and recently made history by becoming the first UK Classical Act to play glitzy Las Vegas.

They have also performed with some of the world's leading orchestras including, The Philharmonic, The Halle and The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.

A spokeswoman for the NNUH said: “Baby Saffron was cared for in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for a few days after her birth and we are delighted to hear she is doing well. We look after nearly 800 babies each year who need some extra support immediately after birth.”