Blackpool mum who appealed for help after a tragic premature birth told baby needs surgery

A devastated mum, who appealed for help after a tragic premature birth left her confined to an intensive care ward miles from her Blackpool home, has now been transferred even further away as her baby son undergoes a vital operation.

Twenty eight-year-old Chloe Hamilton and her husband were living at Bolton Hospital's intensive care baby unit for weeks after she gave birth to twins.

Her 23-week-old baby girl died 12 hours after birth weighing just 439g.

However, son Abi, who was born a few hours earlier, is fighting for his life.

Weighing 434g - the same weight as a tin of baked beans - Abi has been on the unit since birth on May 9, leaving Chloe and her 32-year-old husband living at the hospital while he fights to thrive.

Yesterday, the couple were transferred to Alder Hey Hospital on Merseyside.

The facility is a specialist children's hospital and is the only place where little Abi can receive life-saving stomach surgery.

Chloe said: "He has fluid on his tummy and cannot be fed yet, due to this.

"I got a call to say he is being transferred to Alder Hey today. I am so scared and nervous but we all know how strong he is.

"We need everyone's thoughts and prayers to help see us through this."

The couple set up a gofundme page to help cover their living costs at Bolton Hospital.

But now their finances will continue to be under pressure as Alder Hey is two hours away from their resort home.

Currently, the campaign has raised more than £1,500 to help the couple

She said: "We would like to say thank you for all the generous donations. It has been a huge help to us."

Chloe was overjoyed when she discovered she was pregnant on Christmas Day.

A scan revealed she was expecting twins - a girl and a boy - But at the end of April disaster struck.

Chloe's waters broke at just 22 weeks pregnant and she was taken to Bolton Hospital which has a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) for premature newborns.

The couple found money was running out as they camped out at Bolton hospital 90 minutes away from their home in Westmorland Avenue.

Chloe said: "We have been told our son's brain has been damaged but they can't tell us for sure if he will be affected, they also told us his little heart isn't contracting properly and he struggles to breathe.

"We have stayed positive that our little boy will overcome this, but we are struggling.

"Due to my partner being at the hospital with me constantly, he's out of work and we are struggling for food, drinks and taxis when he has to take clothes home to wash.

"It's financially drained us and we really need some help." I'm ashamed it has come to this but we are desperate."

Chloe revealed she had struggled to conceive since she was 19 and is determined she will do whatever it takes to make sure Abi survives.

She said: "My little boy has been fighting so hard. We were told he was bleeding from his tummy, his lungs, his brain, his mouth... just everywhere.

"But he is getting better, although it's still very much touch and go.

"Luckily, he's a very stubborn little boy. He's got the doctors and nurses wrapped around his little finger."

Donations can be made via gofundme here.