Oh baby we made it! Proud parents Ashley and David White never thought they would make it through the past 12 months.

But now, against all the odds, their miracle tot Charlie is about to celebrate his first birthday at home in Butneys, Basildon.

The Echo first featured the family last summer when tiny Charlie was at last released from Basildon Hospital after being born 14 weeks premature.

He weighed in at just 1lb 10oz and has travelled a very rocky road and cheated death several times to make it to the remarkable milestone.

Born with a series of medical problems, Charlie's condition has been touch and go - and he is still not in the clear.

The youngster has just got over pneumonia and lives with chronic lung disease. He is also deaf as a result of his turbulent start in life.

Mum Ashley, 27, has been kept busy taking care of the little fighter along with his doting big brothers Terry, eight; Ben, six; and two-year-old Jack.

She said: "We just never thought we would make it through this past year. It has been a really long hard struggle and some days it feels like we have been fighting on forever."

Charlie's early arrival was just the first of many hurdles the youngster faced in his first few weeks.

As a result of being born three months early his lungs were not fully developed and the trauma of birth made them collapse.

Doctors told his concerned parents to prepare for the worst as he was unlikely to make it through the night.

But the little fighter defied all the odds and then went on to battle bowel complications which saw him rushed to a specialist London hospital for treatment.

He was struck down with blood poisoning and spent seven weeks on a life support machine.

Ashley added: "It has been touch and go for a long time. Charlie has a lot of problems but his brain is fine - it could have been a lot worse. For a long time we didn't even know if he was going to survive."

Charlie will celebrate his first birthday on Wednesday.

Oh boy - proud mum Ashley White with Charlie, who is about to celebrate his first birthday. Inset, how we broke the news of Charlie's birth last year.

Picture: STEVE O'CONNELL

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