WEIGHING less than a bag of sugar, baby Charlie Glover came into the world an astonishing four months early.

The tiny tot, who was born at the Royal Bolton Hospital on February 6, weighed only 1lb 4oz.

Her parents, Janice Snalam and Michael Glover, believe the quick thinking of the staff in the hospital's special care baby unit saved their tiny daughter's life.

Miss Snalam, aged 38, said: "I can't thank the hospital enough, they really were amazing.

"I was so frightened and they put my mind at rest and I'm sure they saved Charlie's life."

The full-time mum, from Hindley, also has a three-year-old daughter, Holly.

Miss Snalam was just 12 weeks pregnant when she first experienced problems.

She was admitted to the Royal Albert Edward Infirmary in Wigan for total bed rest for six weeks, but was discharged on February 2 and told to take steroids to help her baby's lungs develop as doctors knew she would be born premature.

But the following day she was rushed back into hospital because she was bleeding heavily.

Doctors made the decision to transfer her to the Royal Bolton by ambulance because the Wigan hospital did not have the necessary facilities needed to care for the baby when she was delivered.

Staff hoped Miss Snalam would not have to give birth until she was 28 weeks pregnant, but three days after she was transferred her condition deteriorated so badly she was rushed into delivery 24 weeks into her pregnancy.

Miss Snalam said: "There were so many people there, and obviously I as very scared, but I was so reassured and I always felt I knew exactly what was going on and that they were doing everything they could."

Charlie Jo, who has been named after her great-grandfather and her grandfather, was born by emergency Caesarean at 10.20am. It emerged that if Charlie had not been born when she was she could easily have died.

Eight days later the proud parents could hold their tiny daughter for the first time and six weeks on she was transferred back to the Wigan, where she is expected to remain until her May 22 when Charlie was due to be born.

Despite still being hooked up to oxygen and weighing only 2lb 7oz, Charlie is getting stronger every day.

Miss Snalam said: "She's a real little fighter - right from the start of the complications in my pregnancy she has refused to give up. But we couldn't have done it without the staff at the Royal Bolton Hospital."

The family's praise comes at a critical time for the hospital, which is waiting for the outcome of a review into whether it will become one of three super-centres for neonatal, maternity and children's services in Greater Manchester, East Cheshire and High Peak in Derbyshire.

An original decision had been made, naming Bolton as one of the centres of excellence, in December, but this is being re-examined following protests from hospitals who will lose their maternity wards, including neighbouring Salford and Bury.

To register your views on the review email irp@northwest.nhs.uk or phone 0161 237 2901.