A “LITTLE miracle” born four days after his twin had been prematurely delivered to give him a fighting chance at survival is being honoured for his courage to overcome life-threatening illness.

Mother Charlotte King felt her waters break when she was less than five months pregnant with twin boys.

She faced the heartbreaking process of having a delayed interval delivery of her babies when it was discovered that one twin was seriously ill in January 2015.

Leo King was delivered at 24 weeks and three days, leaving his brother to continue growing for as long as possible.

Unbearably for the King family, Leo died days before his twin, Oska, was delivered 25 weeks prematurely.

Ms King said: “After a courageous four-hour fight, Leo grew his wings and I believe, became Oska’s guardian angel.”

Tiny Oska arrived weighing just 890g and spent the next four months on the neonatal unit at the University Hospital of North Tees, in Stockton.

With the love of his family and dedicated care of ward staff, Oska survived a severe brain bleed, life-threatening pneumonia and an eye disease that affects premature babies.

He came home to Yarm with his now 29-year-old mother, who is the chief executive of the Neoangels charity which supports families of sick and premature babies on the neonatal unit at North Tees.

Oska returned to hospital with sepsis just six weeks later and it nearly cost him his life.

At only 11-months-old, the little one caught a dangerous viral chest infection and Haemophilus – he suffered a huge heart attack and spent 10 days on a life support machine in intensive care.

An agonising six-month recovery lay ahead of him, but Oska overcame the odds and is now a happy three-year-old boy.

Ms King said: “Oska never gives up, he’s so full of life, so full of mischief and fun and to think he’s nearly lost his life three times in the first year but still has this love for the outdoors, life, anything to be honest, is just inspiring.

“Both Oska and his twin Leo have taught me so much about life, about keeping going no matter how hard it gets, to always fight, never give up and love every moment because you don’t know when it will be your last.”

Oska’s proud mother has nominated her child for a Tommy’s Award to celebrate determination shown by babies born prematurely and reward everyone involved in supporting families, friends and healthcare professionals.

The Tommy’s baby charity will honour a host of inspirational individuals at a ceremony in London in March, with Oska now shortlisted in the First Choice Holiday Villages Little Champion category.

The event will be the 23rd year that families who have been touched by pregnancy complications or loss of a baby will be recognised with more than 60,000 babies born prematurely annually.

Ahead of the awards night on March 16, Ms King will continue her work with Neoangels to provide financial, emotional, and bereavement support to any families that find themselves on the North Tees neonatal unit.

The charity also provides medical equipment for the specialist ward as babies transition between intensive care, high dependency and special care.

Ms King added: “He truly is an inspiration to everyone he meets.

“He’s our little miracle.”