A YOUNG couple have paid a touching tribute to their tiny baby son who has lost his fight for life aged 18 weeks.

Finnley Froude was born 12 weeks premature at the neo natal intensive care unit at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital in February He weighed just 1lb 4oz — less than a bag of sugar.

Months on the youngster weighed in at 7lb 14oz, and mum and dad, Gemma and Luke, were hoping to take him home soon.

Sadly, on Thursday, June 3, he suffered complications with his heart and was not strong enough to survive what doctors believe was a virus or infection.

Mr and Mrs Froude, of Appleby Close, Banbury, spoke of their devastation at losing their “little battler”.

Mr Froude, 29, said: “It was completely unexpected.

“All of a sudden last Thursday morning about 4.30am, we got a call to say Finnley had stopped breathing and had to be resuscitated.

“For some reason something didn’t sit right with us and we decided to go to hospital straight away.

“We went in and held hands with him. His heart, rather than pumping, they were keeping him alive.

“It was too much for him.”

Mr Froude said they had been given massive support from family, friends and staff at the unit.

Finnley had been diagnosed with chronic lung disease, which meant he may have suffered asthma, but had no problems with his heart.

Mr Froude said: “We are having good days and bad days and trying to be positive and remember all the good bits. It has been magic, but it has not ended how we wanted.”

Mrs Froude, 28, a children’s nursery manage, was admitted to hospital at 25 weeks’ pregnant in January with mild pre-eclampsia, a pregnancy complication.

She described her son as “a fighter to the end”. She said: “We were so lucky to have those few months with him. We could have had a day with him, but we had all that time. We are so proud of him.”

Finnley’s funeral will be held at St Mary’s Church, Church Street, Chipping Norton, where the couple were married in 2002, on Thursday, June 17. They have asked for donations to Support for Sick Newborn And their Parents, SSNAP, instead of flowers, and the money will be used to furnish a family room at the unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital, which will be named after Finnley.

Local businesses have also been urged to donate unwanted equipment or cash.