A COUPLE are hoping the troubles of the past year are now far behind them now as they prepare for a happy event in August.

Chris Dooley and Julia McBride, of Dodd Avenue, Eccleston, are expecting their third child in four months time, almost a year after the death of their baby son, Thomas, one of twins born three months premature, from a rare virus.

And for a while, it was touch and go with Thomas's tiny twin, John, who weighed just 1Ib 13oz when he was born and needed oxygen administered 24 hours a day to enable his lungs to work properly.

However, John proved himself to be a real little fighter and today, nine months after his birth, he now weighs a healthy 15Ib and can breath unaided without the extra supply of oxygen.

Proud father Chris told the Star: "He has really come on in the last few months. He is eating everything in sight at the moment and sleeps right through the night now aswell."

And, to show their gratitude to the Liverpool Womens' Hospital, which became a second home to Julia and John for the first three months after the birth, the couple helped to raise over £800 during a special charity night in which they held raffles and collections which all the guests contributed to, which will be donated to the hospital's Newborn Appeal fund.

Chris added: "Both Julia and myself are completely indebted to the Liverpool Womens' Hospital. All the staff were wonderful to us and we have kept in touch with some of them since.

"I would be lying if I said there was no chance that anything could go wrong with Julia's latest pregnancy but the last time we saw the doctor, he said everything was going fine. But the most amazing thing is that the baby's due date in August is the same day Thomas died last year and two years to the day Julia's father died. So maybe this will help us lay the past ghosts to rest."

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