Girl Born Size Of Bag Of Sugar And Kept Alive In Sandwich Bag Defies Odds And Starts School

When Darcey Clegg was born three months early, she was the same size as a bag of sugar.

Weighing just 1lb 5oz, she was kept alive in a sandwich bag while doctors at Royal Oldham Hospital, Greater Manchester, desperately worked to keep her alive.

Now, five years later, she's defied the odds and getting ready for her first day at primary school.

Darcey Clegg was born in September 2016 via an emergency c-section - three months early.

The little girl had to fight for her life in hospital until she miraculously came home on December 30 after 64 days in hospital.

Now despite everything, she is getting ready to start school in September, and mum, Gill Glegg, 50, couldn't be prouder.

Gill, a carer, from Littleborough, Greater Manchester, said: "Darcey is amazing.

"She was so tiny in that little sandwich bag, I didn't know if she would make it.

"But now she has defied the odds and she is perfectly healthy.

"It's so emotional to see her start school.

"We've got her uniform and everything ready to go."

Gill and her partner at the time, Mark Moscrop, 58, who owns a removal van service, were surprised to find out they were expecting in April 2016

"It was a bit of a shock but a lovely one," Gill - who has three other children, Karl, 30, Olivia, 20 and Jack, 18 - said.

Gill's pregnancy was smooth sailing until a scan at 28 weeks revealed her baby was not receiving enough blood and there was a placental abnormality.

She was immediately rushed to Royal Oldham Hospital for an emergency c-section.

"It was terrifying," Gill said.

"I wasn't given much hope that she would make it. But she came out crying."

Darcey was immediately taken to the neonatal intensive care unit to help her survive the crucial months.

She battled blood transfusions and had to build up strength before she could come home in time for New Year in 2016.

"She was the best present," Gill said.

Since then Darcey has defied the odds to be a normal healthy girl.

"She started walking a bit late, but it was an amazing moment," Gill said.

"She is a dream."

Now Darcey has just graduated nursery and is set to start primary school in December.

"I've got all her uniform ready already," Gill says. "It's crazy that she is going to school. She asks if she is going everyday.

"I still remember looking at her tiny body in an incubator.

"She defied the odds."

Darcey said: "I'm really excited to start school.

"I can't wait to go and play with lots of other kids."