Madeeha Sheikh says her four-month-old daughter Alayna Yakub would be facing years of plastic surgery if she had put her faith in doctors at Rochdale Infirmary.

She told how her nightmare began after little Alayna was delivered by forceps following a tough 33-hour labour at the hospital.

She spotted a pale pink mark on the side of her face but claims she was reassured by a paediatrician that it was just a forceps’ mark which would fade in two to three weeks.

But, as the weeks passed, the 29-year-old legal adviser and her partner Shahraz Yakub, also 29, began to suspect something was seriously wrong when the mark became darker, her tiny lips began to swell and painful sores grew on her face.

After carrying out research on the web, they raised their concerns with midwives and doctors at Nye Bevan House, but claim they again insisted there was nothing to worry about.

Eventually she was referred back to the Infirmary and diagnosed with a haemangioma - a type of birthmark - but said she was told to go away for two months as the child was ‘too young’ for treatment.

But devastated Madeeha was unhappy with their advice and instead emailed photographs of Alayna to Great Ormond Street Hospital.

The next day she received a phone call from the world famous children’s unit warning that she needed to travel to London immediately for urgent treatment.

Since treatment began in May, Madeeha has stayed with Alayna at her parents’ house in Essex and says she won’t return to the family home in Marland until her condition improves.

She said: "I did my own research on the internet and knew that any birthmark as extensive as my daughter’s should be looked at as early as possible.

"I felt as if I had to fight to get a referral and was told it wasn’t urgent and I had nothing to worry about.

"I was concerned that it could cause blindness if my daughter did not receive urgent treatment as I had been researching the condition and read that it could spread rapidly.

"My daughter was struggling to feed as she had ulcerated lips and was screaming in pain. Seeing my baby like this breaks my heart.

"If I had waited it would have got worse and she would have been looking at plastic surgery, no doubt.

"I fear if we had waited for treatment then it would have left her disfigured and destroyed her life."

Now, she has written a letter of complaint to the Pennine Acute NHS Hospitals Trust, which runs the Infirmary and is demanding an apology from health bosses.

She added: "I clearly do not want any parent or child having to suffer what we have had to go through.

"Alayna is receiving brilliant treatment at Great Ormond Street and is in the right hands.

"She is being given a wonder drug so we hope she will be fine within a year and will have no permanent scarring."

She now hopes to set up a meeting with Pennine bosses and local MP Paul Rowen to discuss the handling of her daughter’s treatment.

Mr Rowen described the case as ‘heartbreaking’ and has written to the secretary of state for health Andy Burnham to demand a full investigation.

He added: "I am alarmed that Miss Sheikh has had to take such drastic action just to ensure that her daughter receives the best health care.

"Seeing the pictures was heartbreaking and must never happen again. Miss Sheikh deserves an apology and heath bosses must ensure that the shortcomings are reviewed as a matter of urgency."

John Lindars, Pennine’s divisional director for women’s and children’s services, said: "We take all comments and complaints regarding patient care and our services very seriously.

"Although we are unable to comment or disclose details on individual cases, I can confirm we have received a formal letter of complaint from Miss Sheikh regarding her daughter’s treatment and assessment following her birth at Rochdale Infirmary and have responded accordingly.

"We have investigated the concerns raised by Miss Sheikh thoroughly and fairly and are in the process of arranging a meeting with doctors and the family."