He rushed into the world several weeks earlier than he should have done and spent the first few days after his birth fighting for his life.

STOWMARKET: He rushed into the world several weeks earlier than he should have done and spent the first few days after his birth fighting for his life.

But now little Ashtyn Thompson has celebrated his first birthday - a landmark some people feared he may not have reached.

Ashtyn's mum Leah, 18, started experiencing complications with her pregnancy and ended up making a dramatic air ambulance trip to a specialist hospital in Kent.

He weighed in at just 1lb 13oz and Miss Thompson, who lives in Stowmarket with Ashtyn's dad Ricky Cole, said the past year had gone “really, really quickly”.

She said: “I remember everything like it was just yesterday. One moment he's just come out of hospital and the next moment it's his birthday.

“He's got so big and learnt so much recently, you would think he was just that age anyway. We're quite lucky that we didn't have anything wrong with him. He's had the all-clear and is a healthy baby boy now.”

The family, including Lea's sisters Leanne, 18, and Bridie, 19, gathered together at to celebrate Ashtyn's birthday and held a party for him.

Miss Thompson added: “I think I have got more mature. I was really scared but as I have been through it all now I could probably help anyone else who is going through it.

“Ricky spends a lot of time with him - he's a brilliant dad. He was really scared at first but now he's used to it and he's brilliant.”

Ashtyn's remarkable story started in October last year when Miss Thompson was being cared for at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds after going into labour early.

She started experiencing serious complications and as she was just 26 weeks pregnant at the time, she needed expert care.

She was taken on an emergency 80 mile helicopter dash to William Harvey Hospital in Ashford, in Kent, where she eventually gave birth on October 10.

Ashtyn spent time on a ventilator and was given round-the-clock care but by Christmas he was at home with his parents and doing well.