Doctors who saved baby go to his 18th

John Paul Smith, named after the two ambulance men who delivered him at home 14 weeks early, was reunited with the doctors who helped him through the early months of his life.

His mum, Kath, who organised the surprise, was overcome when the doctors said they would attend the occasion at the family home in Meadow Lane, Haxby.

She said: "I was so chuffed that in their busy lives they found time to come and see my 18-year-old son, when they didn't have to.

"It's a long time since they saw him, but straightaway when I phoned them up they knew who I was.

"Both of these doctors are so caring - I was crying all day."

John Paul weighed only 1lb 11oz when he was born and was rushed to the special care baby unit at Fulford. He had a collapsed lung, and remained on a ventilator for seven weeks.

Dr Michael Harran, a paediatric specialist at York District Hospital, and Dr Mike Jones, now a GP at the Monkgate clinic in York, helped the family through tough times and Kath was delighted to be able to thank them again.

John Paul said: "Dr Harran made me a card with all sorts of statistics about the treatment I had when I was a baby.

"I was 14 weeks early, had a collapsed lung, 160 blood tests, 20 X-rays, ten blood transfusions and my parents travelled 1,700 miles coming to visit me.

"I'm going to put it in my album," said John Paul.

"I was really pleased the doctors turned up for the party and it shocked me to find out all those things, but it made me feel very lucky."

Dr Harran said: "It was tremendous to see him. He's taller than me now, but considering how small he was when he was born that's quite an achievement.

"I do remember a good number of the babies I treat and John Paul was unusual because he was born so pre-term before he got to hospital and was quite poorly.

"It's really nice - especially when as a profession we're feeling somewhat hammered - to get a bit of positive feedback."