A baby given only weeks to live is about to celebrate his first birthday.

Celvin Tiplady, from Darlington, has confounded medical experts by continuing to fight against the rare genetic disorder nemaline myopathy.

Celvin's mother, Melissa Regan, is planning a party with friends and family when he reaches his birthday.

Nemaline myopathy leads to muscular weakness and respiratory problems.

Miss Regan's first son, Calum, also had the disease. He died at the age of seven months, in 2005.

In November last year, doctors did not expect Celvin to live for more than two weeks.

Miss Regan, 19, said: "In November, he was very, very poorly and he was nearly going on to ventilation. They gave him roughly only two weeks to live, so they sent him back to Darlington.

"One day he looked at us as if to say 'I'm not going anywhere' and started getting better.

"We all thought he was going to die, he looked as if he wasn't going to make it.

"But then a miracle actually happened and all the doctors are really shocked. We just think he's fantastic."

Celvin's condition means he needs several doses of medicine a day, as well as regular physiotherapy. As he is unable to swallow, he is fed through a tube in his nose. He also needs to be monitored every two hours while he sleeps as his condition means he could stop breathing at any time.

His immune system is also very weak, and the slightest infection could be potentially fatal, as he is unable to cough and so could easily develop pneumonia. But as each day goes by, Miss Kipling becomes more confident about his future.

She said: "We're still taking every day at a time but, the older he gets and the stronger he gets, the better.

"We're just enjoying the time we've got with him."

Celvin's birthday party is at Darlington Memorial Hospital Social Club, from 1pm to 4.30pm, on Saturday, June 14. Friends and family are welcome.