The parents of a baby born weighing little more than two pounds have praised Bradford ambulance staff for saving their son's life.

When Mum Janet Wright unexpectedly went into labour ten weeks early at her Buttershaw home in the early hours of December 15, her partner Christopher Haley immediately rang for an ambulance.

After giving vital instructions, down the phone, the ambulance crew arrived to discover tiny Nathaniel Haley not breathing, with the umbilical wrapped around his neck.

They immediately cut the cord and began work to get air into his lungs before racing him to Bradford Royal Infirmary.

Crew member Dominic Cheshire said: "The improvement was amazing. When we got to the house he was black and blue in colour and lifeless, but by the time we had arrived at the infirmary he was nice and pink, was moving and had opened his eyes."

After three months recovering in hospital and a hernia operation, Nathaniel, now a healthy 7lbs 4oz, has been allowed to return home.

And the first port of call was Bradford ambulance station in Northside Road to say thank you to the staff.

Proud mum Janet said she had never expected to see him so well.

Dad Christopher said: "How can you really thank someone who has saved the life of your son? We are really grateful for everything the ambulance service did for our son that day and we always will be."

Cradling Nathaniel in his arms, Dominic, of the West Yorkshire Metropolitan Ambulance Service said: "It's lovely to see him looking so good. I know at the end of the day we are doing a job we are trained for, but it is worth all that training when you see such a positive outcome."

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