EXCLUSIVE BY SUZANNE ELSWORTH

MIRACLE baby Sam Barker defied all odds even before he was born - then battled back from a rare strain of the killer bug meningitis.

Sam, now aged nine-and-a-half months, was an identical twin, but his brother Thomas sadly died in mum Lisa's womb at just 26 weeks.

Doctors feared Sam could also die, as it was not known what had caused Thomas' death, but there were also worries that Lisa may miscarry or go into premature labour.

"It was a complete shock when they discovered Thomas had died," said Lisa, "because I hadn't felt any loss of movement.

"It was the last thing we expected, but they said his chances of survival were very slim."

Her partner Graham added: "We had to go for a scan every two weeks, see the consultant every week and Lisa was put on a kick monitor three times a week.

"We spent half our lives at the hospital!"

Lisa and Graham had to cope with the trauma of Lisa giving birth to their dead son, as well as Sam.

"It was a joyous occasion," said Lisa, "but it was sad as well."

But there was more anguish to come. Sam arrived on time, but just a few days later he became ill.

"He was constantly crying," said Lisa, "and if we went out the bumping of the car or pram made him scream in pain.

"The soft spot on his head was red and raised, he went off his feeds and wasn't sleeping."

Initially midwives and a GP said they could find nothing wrong with Sam, but Graham and Lisa decided enough was enough and took their five-day-old son to Warrington Hospital where medics diagnosed e-coli meningitis.

Said Graham: "The paediatrician knew immediately what was wrong and said that if we had left it for another 24 hours, they wouldn't have been able to do anything with him."

The couple stayed at Sam's bedside for six weeks, until he was finally discharged, but just two days later the condition recurred and he was admitted for a further six weeks.

"He had 13 lumbar punctures," said Graham.

"He was like a pin cushion. They say two lumbar punctures are a lot, but he held the world record!"

The rare condition, which affects less than one baby each year, was caused because Sam opened his bowels while still in the womb. It is thought this was either because of the trauma of Thomas dying or that it happened as he was born.

There were fears that Sam could be left unable to speak, hear, see or walk, but so far all the tests have been normal.

"Now we've come through it, it was definitely all worth it," said Lisa.

"Sam's our little miracle."