By rights little Megan Bown should not be celebrating her first birthday until June.

But her big day is almost here because the little girl was born a staggering 14 weeks early.

The tot, who weighed little more than a bag of sugar when she was born in March 2003, is one of most premature babies to be born at Airedale Hospital in Steeton, arriving when her mum Marie Bown was just 26 weeks and six days pregnant.

Megan relied on the expertise of doctors in the intensive-care unit of the special-care baby unit to keep her alive for the first few weeks of her life. But she proved to be a fighter and now the family is proud to celebrate her first birthday.

Marie, 36, of Birch Tree Gardens, Long Lee, Keighley, said: "Her lungs were not strong enough for her to cry when she was born. She was on a ventilator, a machine to help her lungs work, and needed three blood transfusion. But the doctors were always really positive about her chances. She needed so much care that she was four days old before I could even hold her. But now she is marvellous even though she is still small for her age."

The mum-of-two, who also has a son, five-year-old Matthew, went into premature labour after developing an infection.

Doctors at Airedale were unable to stop the contractions and after a ten-hour labour Megan was delivered by emergency caesarean on March 6 at 10.43am, weighing just 2lb and 5oz.

"She was so tiny," said Marie. "But she looked perfect and I remember she had beautiful long fingers. It was so scary looking at her but the doctors were fantastic - explaining everything to me."

Megan was eventually allowed home four weeks before the date she was supposed to have been born. However, about two weeks later she had to go back into hospital when she became ill. She also had a spell in hospital in December after developing a chest infection.

Marie and husband Peter also have to take Megan for regular check-ups at Airedale, when the family always pop in to see the people who saved her life.

"I have the utmost respect for all the doctors and nurses on special care," said Marie. "They are fantastic."

Gill Tillotson, neo-natal ward manager at Steeton, said: "Megan was one of our smaller babies and was here for some time. Arriving at 14 weeks early, she is one of our most premature babies."