Henry Paul Jepson was so tiny when he was born his mum said he looked like "an Action Man with a tennis ball head".

The tot weighed in at just 1lb 11 oz, 15 weeks early at Bradford Royal Infirmary, after his mum Sam caught an infection which brought on labour.

But this week the youngster celebrated his first birthday after an amazing battle for survival and received a cheque on behalf of the two hospitals which saved his life.

Mum Samantha recalled: "He fitted into the palm of my hand and I can only say he was the size of an Action Man doll. He was so scrawny with this round head like a tennis ball." He then went on to suffer bowel problems caused by the prematurity which needed surgery but amazed doctors with his fight back to health despite being in and out of hospital.

Mrs Jepson, now three months pregnant, added: "He had surgery, caught a superbug and suffered many complications, but he's here. He is the miracle that made it.

"We had to take each day at a time, then each week at a time. Babies who were bigger and older have not come through what he has.

"But now he is putting on weight and he has been discharged by the consultants."

He was so brave he was named after former Bulls player Henry Paul and at his christening a collection raised £300.

The shop where Mrs Jepson had to buy his tiny clothes, Daisychains, in Wibsey, also raised £300 and a theatre production organised by a friend made a further £400.

The money collected by Henry at Daisychains will be split between the two neo-natal units at Bradford Royal Infirmary and Leeds General Infirmary where the surgery was performed.

Mrs Jepson, from Clayton, said Henry had just started attending nursery and now weighed 18lbs 9oz.

She added: "He is absolutely fine, everything's working properly. It was all fairly traumatic at the start and we still don't really know why it all happened as it did.

"But he's a little fighter and we are so lucky. We could never repay what has been spent on Henry but we do think you should give something back."