A PREMATURE Pensnett baby's fight for life has captured the hearts of Stourbridge fundraisers, who hope to raise £10,000 for the hospital that saved her.

Fitness fanatics will tackle a gruelling assault course at Mary Stevens Park on March 22 in aid of Daisy-Mae Little, who was born at Russells Hall Hospital on December 1, last year, weighing just 1lb 13oz.

Although her mother, Jennifer, aged 34, a property lawyer at QualitySolicitors Talbots, Stourbridge, had a trouble-free pregnancy, she gave birth three and a half months early.

Daisy-Mae's father, Wayne, aged 42, said: "It was a bolt out of the blue. Jennifer was having tummy cramps, we thought it was just the baby turning around and contacted the midwife who said to go up to triage and get it checked out. We thought there was nothing to worry about but wanted to put our minds at rest.

"When we got to hospital they said they thought she might be going into early labour, we panicked a bit but thought they could stop it but then it progressed and out she popped, 45 minutes later."

Mr Little, a station commander at Ward End Fire Station, Birmingham, said it was around six hours before they were briefly able to see Daisy-Mae, before she was transferred to the neonatal unit at New Cross Hospital, Wolverhampton.

The couple spent six weeks living in one of the hospital's parent flats, not wanting to leave her side but Daisy-Mae is now back at Russells Hall Hospital and is "doing remarkably well" according to her father.

He continued: "We don't know when she'll be able to come home. They will look towards the due date and make an assessment on her weight and any other medical support she might need but there is nothing to show there are any lasting effects.

"We've been through a hell of a lot and we are looking forward to normality in the future but with some trepidation as when she's back home, there is no safety net, we'll have to deal with everything ourselves but I suppose that's the same for all parents."

Mr Little, who set up a Facebook page to keep family and friends in the loop about Daisy -Mae's progress, said he was "overwhelmed" when 10,000 people liked the page.

He said: "The amount of support we have had is amazing, people we don't even know have come forward with gifts for Daisy-Mae and have donated and knitted clothes. When people hear about babies being premature, they think the baby is just a bit small and needs to stay in hospital a bit longer, even we didn't realise what they went through on a daily basis.

"I was just sharing our story with family and friends but by the power of social media, it has been spread across the world.

"If it raises awareness and helps other people get through a similar situation then that's a good thing."

The couple are now on a mission to raise money for New Cross' neonatal unit, to thank staff who saved their daughter's life on a number of occasions.

It is hoped the assault course, dubbed the Daisy-Mae challenge, which will take place at the Stanley Road park from noon-2pm, will raise a considerable amount of cash.

Run by Stourbridge based Beech Body Bootcamp, the course will see brave pairs climb hay bales, fight water gauntlets, cross wood planks and sprint up hills while keeping a tyre moving at all times.

There will also be live music, tombola, raffles, cakes and a fun bus, face painters and bouncy castles to keep the children entertained.

More information about the event and Daisy-Mae's fight can be found at www.facebook.com/little.daisy.mae