AS little James Wilkes got into the full swing of his birthday party he was unaware of why it was such a happy sight for his parents.

Four years ago today Michelle Jones and Wayne Wilkes celebrated the birth of their second child. But hours later they were told he had a rare heart defect.

James, who was born eight weeks premature at North Tees Hospital (now the University Hospital of North Tees), had malformed arteries around his heart, but he was too small for surgery.

The day after he was born, a tiny balloon was introduced into his heart and inflated to enable blood to flow correctly.

At six months old he was strong enough to undergo surgery and had two open-heart operations at the Freeman Hospital, in Newcastle. The operations, known as pulmonary banding, encourage the heart muscle to develop.

At a birthday party in Sedgefield Methodist Church Hall, County Durham, Michelle and Wayne said they were delighted to watch their son cause mayhem at the party.

Michelle said: "Each of James's birthdays have been better than the last because the feelings we had when he was a baby aren't raw anymore.

"We can enjoy his party for real rather than looking back at the worry we had then.

"James was the youngest child to undergo the procedure and there were times we'd worry about him having problems as he grew up."

She added: "I appreciate what we have more now because we see him mucking about as much, if not more, than the other kids. Soon he will start Sedgefield Hardwick Primary School and be just like all his friends.

"It does remind me how lucky we are that the surgeons did a brilliant jobs and James has become so strong."

The couple, who live in Sedgefield, have two daughters, Laura, nine, and six-month-old Kate.

Wayne said: "When we see him playing with his big sister and other kids in toy cars and a bouncy castle for his birthday we realise how far he's come.

"When he was a baby he was half the size Kate was, really tiny.

"He still has to go to hospital once a year for a check-up but now he's just a happy, healthy little lad.