CHRISTMAS Eve will be an extra special celebration for Jacob MacFarlane's family, a year-to-the day after the youngster almost died.

As well as the traditional festivities, the day will mark a return to health for one-year-old Jacob.

Last Christmas Eve, tragedy nearly struck when, aged just five weeks, he was rushed to hospital by his parents, Gemma and David, of Darlington.

Doctors at Newcastle General Hospital told the family that he was unlikely to survive the night after suffering a collapsed lung and pneumonia.

They advised the couple to return home to their two other sons, then aged just four and two, and await the worst.

His parents kissed him gently on the forehead and took a photograph, believing it would be the last time they ever saw their precious baby alive.

But three weeks later, after a remarkable recovery, he was back at home and the family celebrated a late Christmas together.

This year's celebrations will hopefully be more normal for the family.

Mrs MacFarlane, 24, said: "It is strange because we are all worrying that Christmas is here. The fear is coming on again.

"Hopefully, it will be fantastic because, in some ways, this will be his first Christmas, and there will be no hiccups this year."

Following the scare, Jacob has returned regularly to Darlington Memorial Hospital for check-ups.

But Mrs MacFarlane said that he was now a healthy, normal baby.

She said: "The year has been fantastic. He has been brilliant and you would never really know anything had happened.

"He was slow to start crawling and rolling around but he has come on in the past couple of months."

Jacob still has a few problems with his chest and has an inhaler for possible asthma.

His check-ups are to stop when he takes his first tentative steps.

Mrs MacFarlane said: "He is great. He is full of character.

"He is more boisterous than the other two were, but that might be because of his two older brothers anyway.

"And I have been a bit soft with him because of what happened."

Mrs MacFarlane, husband David, 25, and their two elder sons, five-year-old Ethan and Joshua, three, had a family celebration with Jacob for his birthday in November.

Mrs MacFarlane said: "We were so proud that he had even got there. Even though he had survived what happened, we were never sure there would be any repercussions."

To help any other children in a similar position, the family have raised nearly £1,000 for the Newcastle General Hospital.