A CANVEY boy who went through a traumatic birth and could have suffered brain damage celebrated a special birthday yesterday- he was 12 on 12-12-12.

Harry McCartney, who is a pupil at Cornelius Vermuyden School in Canvey, was born 12 days late and his mum Michelle McCartney, 39, was given an emergency caesarean after doctors at Southend Hospital tried to deliver him naturally and then with forceps, but both attempts failed.

Michelle and husband Dan, of Magnolia Close, Canvey, had planned for her good friend Carol Bardsley, who sadly died this year of cancer and was a nurse to deliver Harry, but due to the complications the worried parents had to go to hospital.

Michelle, who is a practice nurse in a doctor’s surgery, said: “We had planned a home birth with my friend Carol who I trained at nursing college with but due to the complications we were whisked to hospital.

“Harry was very shocked when he was born because the doctors couldn’t get him out properly and he had extensive bruising and he suffered a bleed in his head, just under his skin.

“The staff at Southend Hospital were amazing and he had to be kept in the special care baby unit for eight days. He could have had lots of problems from having brain damage to being disabled and he has come so far. He is such an amazing boy.”

To celebrate his special birthday Harry is having a party with his friends and then going up to Chelsea’s stadium Stamford Bridge in west London for a tour on the weekend.

Michelle added: “Dan and I are so proud of him. He has overcome lots of things which could have been big difficulties and he is now one of the brightest in his class at school and the teachers say he is in the top stream of children.

“He is a very special boy and it’s only right that he has a very special birthday.”