WHEN Riley White was born 16 weeks early last April, his parents were told to prepare for the worst.

He weighed less than 2lb and was barely bigger than mum Emma's hand.

Doctors gave him just a 20 per cent chance of survival.

However, Riley won his battle and has just celebrated his first birthday - a day his family thought they would never see.

The tiny tot decided he was ready to see the world when mum Emma Saunders went into labour when she was just 24 weeks pregnant. Born at 3am, he weighed just 1lb 12oz.

"They told me there was not much chance of him surviving," said Emma, of Townhill Park, Southampton, who has three other children with partner Ryan White - Shannon, 7, Chelsey, 5, and three-year-old Jay.

"I didn't even get to see him. He was rushed away really quickly," said Emma.

"When I finally saw him, I could not believe it. He was fully developed but he was so small. He was not much bigger than my hand.

"His lungs were the main problem.

"He looked so tiny and fragile we didn't believe that he could possibly cope with everything that was happening to him. But he was a fighter."

Riley spent three weeks at St Mary's Hospital in Portsmouth before being transferred to the intensive care unit at Southampton's Princess Anne Hospital.

At about eight weeks, following an operation to close a duct in his heart which usually closes at birth, he began to show signs of improving.

"We were a lot more hopeful by then," said Emma.

When he was 107 days old, Riley's family were finally able to take him home.

"We couldn't believe it," said Emma.

"You don't ever think that day will arrive.

Now weighing 18lb, Riley is still small for his age and still has a few chest problems, but as he grows his lungs will improve and he should not have any serious lasting damage.

On Sunday his family celebrated his first birthday.

"I just can't believe he is here and he is so well," said Emma.