A PREMATURE baby who survived major heart surgery when he was only one week old, celebrated his first birthday yesterday.

Thomas Jack Callaghan, of Fishburn, County Durham, is one of the smallest babies in the region to survive after he was born 16 weeks premature, weighing just 1lb 3oz - and smaller than his father's hand.

The youngster, who still weighs only 16lbs, suffers from chronic lung disease as a result of being on a ventilator for almost four months after birth.

When he was ten days old, Thomas had heart surgery after a massive infection built up fluid around his heart, which had to be drained.

Yesterday, close family joined Thomas, his father Andrew and mother Tracy Vincent, at their home in Fishburn to help him celebrate his first birthday.

Miss Vincent, 24, was taken into the University Hospital of North Tees, Stockton, when she was 24 weeks pregnant.

She said: "They told me the chance of him surviving labour would be slim and even if he did, being so tiny, the chance of keeping him alive was not good.

"We were told three times in hospital that we were going to lose him, and at ten days old he had major heart surgery.

"He was too poorly to be moved to another hospital - they had to get a surgeon down from Newcastle to operate."

Thomas should grow out of his lung condition, and catch up with other children his age, by the time he is two.

His mother said: "Despite the problems, the last year has been the best year of my life. I wouldn't change it - or Thomas - for the world."

Thomas' consultant, Dr Chibambara Harikumar, of North Tees, said that nationally, babies born as early as 24 weeks only had a ten per cent chance of survival.

He said: "Considering all that has happened to Thomas, it is quite a wonder that he survived, and even survived with no serious problems.

"We are very lucky to have a good medical and nursing staff at North Tees - here there is a 20 per cent chance of babies born at 24 weeks surviving, which is higher than the national average.