A baby born at 22-weeks has defied the odds and is ready to celebrate her first birthday.
Ava-May Horner weighed just 1lb and 2oz when she was born and medics feared she wouldn't survive.
Mum Charley Hopper went into labour just weeks after celebrating her 16th birthday, Teesside Live reports.
The teenager explained her difficult pregnancy passed as a whirlwind, saying: "One day we went from thinking I can't wait for these 18-weeks to be over, then the next thing I was in hospital."
Then one week and three days later, she naturally gave birth to her 540gram baby on July 2.
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Ava's entrance into the world meant she needed round the clock care and spent the first 129 days of her life in James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough.
Charley, from Pallister Park, said: "Ava needed breathing support as soon as she was born, heat support as she couldn't maintain her temperature and needed feeding support when she could have milk.
"They didn't think she would survive.
"It was so hard because they basically gave us 24-hours and it was either hit or miss.
"They said she'd either take to the machine breathing for her but if she didn't her lungs would collapse.
"One of her lungs did actually collapse, but the other one was still working, when she was about five-days old."
Ava has battled since her first breath including undergoing heart surgery and beating pneumonia.
She spent five-days on a ventilator at Newcastle's RVI Hospital, whilst also having meningitis toxins on her blood.
"Ava's dad was by my side the whole time, we stuck together," Charley added.
In the run-up to her first birthday, the youngster still requires oxygen 24-hours per day.
Mum Charley, now 17, said: "She's still on oxygen 24/7, there's no coming off it, but hopefully next year or the middle of next year she can start coming off it.
Despite her setbacks, Charley says Ava is "just amazing, lovely" - and like any other parent would say "very grouchy".
Charley is also hoping to return to college as Ava becomes less dependent on medical help.
After she gave birth, Charley tried to return to college but it proved very difficult with a sick child on her mind.
She said: "I'm thinking about going back to college when Ava doesn't need her feeding tube or oxygen.
Charley hopes to qualify as a hairdresser.
