Little Grace Stonnell's mother could hardly have dared dream of celebrating her daughter's first birthday when she was born two months premature.

Grace weighed only three pounds and one ounce when she was born and had to battle through a life-threatening infection two days afterwards.

Looking at the one-year-old now it is hard to believe she is the same baby as the tiny scrap in pictures taken after her birth.

She was delivered two months early last March when her mum Angela, who is deaf, developed pre-eclampsia.

Doctors had to fight to save mother and baby and Angela is incredibly grateful Grace has survived to celebrate her first birthday.

She said: "Grace is a very happy, bubbly little girl. I'm really proud she's come through this."

Angela, 36, from Lewes, believes her pre-eclampsia was caused by the death of her much-loved mother Valerie in February last year.

Up until then it had been a normal pregnancy but after her mother died her blood pressure shot up.

She said: "I miss my mother so much that I have invested a lot of emotional time in Grace. I used to see my mother every week now I visit her grave every week and bring flowers."

Single mum Angela was rushed to the Royal Sussex County Hospital in Brighton on March 26 last year.

Grace was delivered safely but two days later the baby developed a life-threatening infection.

She was unable to breathe by herself and was placed on a life support machine in the hospital's Trevor Mann Baby Unit in Brighton.

While Grace struggled for survival there was also the fear the infection could spread to her bowel.

This is always a risk for premature babies with an infection. If this happens, doctors sometimes have to remove part of the bowel.

Angela could not pick up her fragile baby but had to watch helplessly as Grace battled the infection.

Being deaf made the situation even harder for Angela, who communicates through sign language.

Grace's premature birth has left her with visual and hearing problems.

Her left side is also weaker than the right.

Her development will be slower but she will be given special treatment like speech therapy over the next few years to help her catch up.

Her two brothers Aaron, 14, and Joshua, 11, help by chatting and playing with their little sister. Angela is planning a big party to celebrate her little girl's first birthday.

She said: "I think we do spoil her because she had such a hard time."