JUST 20 months ago, fragile Ethan Sloane-Bulger weighed only 3lb 2oz after being been born 11 weeks prematurely.

His mother Jean was in intensive care suffering multiple organ failure and the future of the new family was hanging in the balance.

But now Ethan is fighting fit after stunning doctors with his speedy recovery, and the spirited tot is rolling up his sleeves for The Sentinel's Baby And Toddler Of The Year competition.

Mum Jean, aged 40, is still unwell after her ordeal and has serious health complications, but she is proud of her son's remarkable recovery.

She said: "He really is a success story, I want other people with premature babies to look at Ethan and realise there is a light at the end of the tunnel.

"He has no problems, he's a healthy little boy who takes an interest in everything. He loves crawling around and getting into mischief.

"Ethan is the light of our lives. It means everything to my husband Andrew because at one point it looked as though he might lose the both of us."

Ethan was born prematurely after his mother fell ill.

Doctors had no idea what caused her illness and feared for both of their lives.

They induced the birth as Jean's body began to shut down in an extreme reaction to the bug.

She still suffers from liver and kidney problems as a result of the illness.

Jean was so grateful for her care at the University Hospital of North Staffordshire she held a sponsored head shave to raise money for the hospital.

The £1,025, they collected was doubled by staff at delivery firm DHL, where Andrew was working at the time.

Proud dad Andrew, who now cares for his family full-time, always believed his son would make it through.

The 45-year-old of Hughes Street, Cobridge said: "When he was in hospital I always felt he would eventually be ok.

"He's a real fighter, and we knew he was strong it because he came out screaming. Doctors originally wanted to keep him in for 11 weeks, but he started putting the weight on and getting stronger so he came home after seven."

Andrew said Ethan has wasted no time in settling in at home.

"Ethan is a menace now. He's started climbing up the stairs, in fact he flies up them with no messing about whatsoever.

"He just goes up one step at a time.

"He loves watching adverts on TV, he used to like sitting down to watch the sport with me but adverts are his new thing."

Free photo sessions for the competition are running at the Roebuck Shopping Centre until Saturday.

Entrants have a chance to win £3,000 worth of prizes and see photos of their youngsters printed in The Sentinel.