A baby whose tiny life was in danger when he was born nine weeks early is now thriving and back home with his family in Malvern.

Grandparents Chris and Tony O'Donnell are thrilled that little Zachary is now doing well.

Zachary weighed just 4lb when he was born in November and spent the first few weeks of his life in an incubator.

His mother Tonya spent many anxious days watching him attached to drips, tubes and masks in the incubator in the Neonatal unit at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.

"It was so hard for her because she couldn't hold him," said Mrs O'Donnell.

"She feels as though he was born on Christmas Day because that's the day she was able to pick him up, cuddle him and bring him home. Until then everything seemed strange and unreal."

Mrs O'Donnell praised the hospital and its staff.

"Tonya and Zachary couldn't have had better care. We're very grateful to them for all they did," she said.

Zachary is now thriving and weighs 4lb 12oz.

"Tonya is completely in love with him. He's a tiny but beautiful baby," said Mrs O' Donnell.

Tonya, a marine biology student at Bangor University, is taking a year's sabbatical from her studies so she can be at home with Zachary full-time.