A baby born with half a head stunned doctors by managing to survive 48 hours.

The little girl had shockingly protruding eyes and was missing the top of her head when she was born in India this week.

Savita Rani, 32, from Amroha district of Uttar Pradesh, in northern India, gave birth to her “miracle baby” on Tuesday after a natural birth.

After word got round the local area about the girl’s unusual features, large numbers of people started to gather outside the Sai Nursing Home clinic in the hope of seeing the baby, like some freak-show

Sai Nursing Home gynaecologist Dr Kusum Lata, 30 said: “These complications occur due to incorrect and irregular eating habits of the mother during pregnancy.

Dr Lata added it was a miracle both mother and child survived.

The mother, who already has three very healthy children, faced extreme difficulties during labour and lost a lot of fluid and blood.

He explained that the baby girl’s brain had not formed properly in the womb and her heart had kept her alive.

But 48 hours later – on Thursday morning – the baby girl died of heart failure.

The mum has now been discharged from hospital and is trying to come to terms with her loss.