A MIRACLE girl who was born at Salisbury District Hospital at 27 weeks and weighing just 1lb 6.5oz celebrates her tenth birthday with a party on Saturday.

Chloe Evens, from Harnham, was the final baby to be born at such a small size and remain in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) – now they are taken to other centres.

Her parents, Paul and Sharon, who spent a traumatic four-and-a-half months at her side in the hospital, said it was touch and go whether she would survive.

“Those first few months were a real rollercoaster,”

Mr Evens said.

“One morning we’d go up to hospital and she was brilliant, and then an hour later she’d take a turn for the worse and there would be quite a panic.”

The family were preparing to install oxygen at their home ready for her release from hospital but a week before she came out Chloe turned a corner and didn’t need it.

“It was a miracle,” he mother said. “So many family and friends and even people we didn’t know would say they were praying for us.

“We had messages from so many people.

“We were warned she may experience problems in later life but she hasn’t had any.

“She is absolutely wonderful, our ray of sunshine. She wakes up happy and goes to bed happy. She makes our life complete.”

Every Easter and Christmas, the Evens family return to the NICU to take chocolates and thank the staff who helped them.

“There’s nothing we can say or do that can compensate for what they did for us – the doctors and nurses took such great care of Chloe and we will always be grateful to them,” Mrs Evens said.

“We really want to give hope to other parents who may be in a similar position to ours all those years ago, and say ‘never give up’.”

Turning ten tomorrow, Chloe, who loves the outdoors and enjoys playing all kinds of sport, is looking forward to a special birthday party at the weekend.

She said: “I’d like to thank all the people from NICU because they helped me to get through life and I wouldn’t be here today without them.

“I’d also like to thank my parents and all my family for giving me a lot of support.”