DAME ESTHER'S 'PRECIOUS XMAS FULL OF SMILES'

IT was the Christmas that Dame Esther Rantzen never thought possible she would share with her beloved family.

- Giles Sheldrick 

But, thanks to a "miracle drug", the 83-year-old campaigner, who has stage 4 lung cancer, enjoyed the festivities crammed with "love, smiles and sparkle", said her delighted daughter Rebecca Wilcox, reflecting on a "precious" Christmas.

Rebecca, 43, paid tribute to her mother, who is campaigning alongside the Daily Express to reform "outdated" assisted dying laws and said she would not put it past the TV legend to conjure up another miracle by doing it all again next year.

She joked: "Mum has a habit of making the impossible possible so watch this space!" Dame Esther was diagnosed last January and her family feared she would not live to see spring - so this Christmas was a particular blessing.

The lifelong activist enjoyed precious family time with her three children and five grandchildren.

As well as Rebecca and her children Benjamin, 11, and Alexander, eight, Dame Esther was joined by Rebecca's siblings Miriam and Joshua plus his children Teddy, eight, and six-year-old twins Romilly and Florence for festive food, fun and parlour games.

Writing exclusively for the Express, Rebecca revealed that her Surrey home had reverberated to the sound of laughter, despite the realisation that it might be the family's last such Christmas together. Dame Esther, who was determined to light up the faces of her nearest and dearest, took to the floor for a rumbustious rendition of The Twelve Days Of Christmas - and only she knew the words in the correct order off by heart.

Rebecca said: "The day was filled with games and happy moments.