A LITTLE fighter is celebrating a birthday her parents never thought they would see today.

Ten years ago Lauren Skull was fighting for her life after being born three months premature.

Her mum, Louise Weston, 30, of Freshbrook was rushed into hospital after a routine check-up with her midwife after just 26 weeks revealed she had pre-eclampsia, which is brought on when the body has an allergic reaction to pregnancy.

Had it not been spotted so early, doctors at Princess Margaret Hospital told Louise she could have died, or suffered a pre-eclamptic fit which would have put her baby’s life at risk.

Lauren was born at 12.08pm following an emergency caesarean weighing 2lbs 4oz after she had stopped growing after 23 weeks.

Doctors told Louise and her partner Robert that they were surprised Lauren had survived because she had two blood clots.

Lauren spent six-and-a-half weeks in the Special Care Baby Unit, weighing 4lbs 5ozs when she came out of hospital.

Louise said: "We just took every day as it came and took nothing for granted. It’s wonderful to see that everything is now fine.

“She hasn’t got any problems, she is a perfect healthy 10-year-old girl.”

Since having Lauren, Louise and her partner Robert, 36, have had two more children Bailey, five, and Grace, three, and Lauren also suffered pre-eclampsia with them.

Grace was also born prematurely and weighed only 3lbs 6ozs.