A FIRST birthday is always a special occasion - but for one Bolton family it is a day they feared they would never see.

Samuel Crompton was born 13 weeks prematurely and he was so small that he could fit into the palm of his mother Michelle's hand.

He weighed just 519 grams - little more than 1lb - and spent the first four months of his life in hospital.

But yesterday, Michelle and Jarrod Crompton, both aged 28, celebrated Sam's first birthday.

Last year doctors at the Royal Bolton Hospital had diagnosed Mrs Crompton with severe pre-eclampsia and she was transferred to Hope Hospital for an emergency Caesarean Section because the neo-natal intensive care ward at Bolton was full.

Sam spent the first four weeks of his life at Hope until he was stable enough to be moved to Bolton.

When he was born his organs were under-developed and he had breathing problems and jaundice.

Mrs Crompton of Eden Street, Astley Bridge, said: "I can't thank the staff at both hospitals enough, they helped him to live. It was touch and go, and without them he would not be here today.

"He now weighs 15lb 11oz and is very active and crawling at the moment. He is healthy, even though he is still a bit small for a one-year-old.

"He was very ill when he was born and he still suffers from chronic lung disease, but it is hoped he will grow out of that in a few years."

It was the family's second celebration in the space of a little more than a week following Sam's christening on January 28. His grateful parents asked guests for money instead of gifts and were able to donate £400 to the Royal Bolton Hospital's neo-natal unit which they handed over to staff during a special birthday visit yesterday.

Mr and Mrs Crompton were among thousands of people who supported The Bolton News' Back The Baby Unit campaign last year.

The Royal Bolton Hospital was successful in its bid to become one of three super centres for the care of babies and children in the Greater Manchester region.