A BABY'S first birthday is always special. But for the family of little Ellie May, her celebration comes after a year of heartbreak.

Her smile, as she opened her birthday presents yesterday, Wednesday, masks the tragedy that she is too young to understand - the fact that she will never know her daddy, Michael Theaker, who was murdered last year, six weeks before her birth.

Despite the huge loss experienced by the Theaker family and Michael's partner Shelley Wheeler, the bubbly baby is what keeps them all going.

"We got her loads of birthday presents, a new pram and a doll, that type of thing. We had a tea party for her too," said Jackie Theaker, the little girl's grandmother.

"It is still really hard after losing Mike, but she makes our day and cheers us all up."

Blowing out the candles on Ellie May's birthday cake will always be a poignant affair, not only because she is the legacy of her daddy but also because she is a reminder of the tragedy the family has been through.

The 22-year-old's killers, David Algie, aged 21, Colin Algie, aged 19, and Billy Jones, aged 16, were sentenced to a total of 36 years.

Jackie added: "She is the image of Mike.

"When I look in her eyes I see him."