A COUPLE who lost their daughter when she was four days old have raised £16,000 in her memory for the neonatal unit that tried to save her.

Maisie Hope Nellis was born on October 5 weighing 5lb 13oz. She was born full-term, but the umbilical cord was wrapped around her neck, depriving her of oxygen.

Maisie was taken to the neonatal unit at The James Cook University Hospital, in Middlesbrough, for ventilation and a mat was used to lower her body temperature to minimise damage to her brain cells.

However, Maisie had suffered multiple organ failure and died in her parents' arms.

Leanne Bint and Graham Nellis have ensured their daughter's memory lives on by raising more than £16,000 in only eight weeks to buy extra cooling equipment for the neonatal unit.

Neonatal nurse consultant Lynne Paterson said: "At the time when this happened, our cooling equipment was being used on another child and so we had to borrow a cooling mat from another hospital.

"Leanne and Graham knew this and that is why they decided that their goal would be to buy more cooling equipment for us with their fundraising efforts.

"Maisie's story is a heartbreaking one and her parents are so brave to have found the energy and drive to raise enough to provide further cooling equipment so that another little boy or girl in a similar situation may be saved.

"They did this in a remarkably quick time frame and at Christmas time, usually a time when charities struggle to receive funds. They are truly inspirational.

"Everyone on the neonatal unit would like to say a huge thank-you to them and also wish them all the best in their future life together as husband and wife."

The Coulby Newham couple, who were recently married, organised a charity zumba night and Boxing Day dip and set up a Just Giving page for online donations.

Cooling mattresses cost about £14,000, so the couple have already exceeded their target. They visited the neonatal unit to share their news with staff.

Leanne, 29, said: "The fundraising gave us something positive to focus on. We gave ourselves 12 months to reach our target and we have done it within eight weeks - people have just been so generous. We want to keep fundraising for the unit and have already asked what we should aim for next."

Mr Nellis, 26, said: "There are only a few of these cooling mats available in the region and so this could be a lifesaver for babies with less severe conditions than Maisie's."