As first-time mother Hazel Bruney gazed into the eyes of her baby son, she realised she had been given the best Christmas present in the world.

Little Anthony, who weighed barely more than a bag of sugar when he was born 28 weeks prematurely, will be home in time for Christmas, the day he was due.

After spending the first days of his fragile young life in four different hospitals to ensure his survival, Anthony, now a healthy 6lb 1oz, has proved he is quite a fighter.

Single mother Hazel, 21 of Oldfield Lane North, Greenford, said: "I was very scared when he was born and I was told all the things that could go wrong: breathing problems, stomach problems, especially as he was my first baby.

"It was daunting to think he might be in hospital for Christmas but he is a real fighter. I am so excited to think he is going to be home for his first Christmas."

As she said goodbye and thanked Ealing Hospital staff on Tuesday, she realised it could have been a very different story.

Hazel, who works in a Sony call centre in Kingston, said: "I was at work and only six months pregnant when I started bleeding.

"I was taken to Kingston hospital and then to Chelsea where there is a special baby unit. Then he went to Great Ormond Street because he developed breathing problems and has spent the last six weeks at the special care unit at Ealing.

"When he was born he went into an incubator and I couldn't touch or hug him. He had to have steroids to help with breathing.

"It was awful but as he went from strength to strength and I was allowed to hold him for a bit I thought: 'He is going to be OK'."

Chris Kehoe, deputy sister on Ealing's 9S ward, said:"When Anthony came here from Great Ormond Street he was quite poorly but he made a very fast recovery.

"This is the nicest Christmas present you could have, to have your baby home for Christmas."

After such an ordeal, Hazel said she had adapted well to motherhood. She said: "I didn't realise how big the bond between mother and child could be. I would move the world for my son."