A PHOTOGRAPHER whose daughter was born prematurely at Warrington Hospital has captured ‘then and now’ pictures of dozens of people who spent their first weeks of life on the neonatal unit.

Gavin Tomkins’ daughter Heidi spent several months in the unit after she was born 30 weeks into pregnancy.

With Heidi now a healthy seven-year-old, Gavin has been taking photographs of others who were born on the unit holding pictures of themselves in their first days of life.

The Fearnhead photographer said: “I wanted to produce a wall piece for the unit to give hope to new parents that may be going through the same worries that me and my partner Elaine went through nearly eight years ago with our little miracle Heidi.

“If people can see how other kids have developed from being such tiny babies it could hopefully give them the strength and knowledge that there is light at the end of the tunnel and that they are not alone.”

On Friday, December 2, Gavin returned to the hospital to present staff with a collage of then and now pictures of 37 people from across town who were born on the neonatal unit.

They range from toddlers to fully grown adults aged 30, with some born as early as 24 weeks into pregnancy.

Nursery nurse Sharon Foreman and staff nurse Jill Kenyon said that the artwork would take pride of place on the neonatal unit and remembered their former patients who are pictured.

Jill said: “Gavin has done an amazing job of capturing all our children, who start life with us often as very fragile poorly babies, and to see them here on this photograph is amazing.

“It brings tears to our eyes to see how well they are doing now, as we remember them in the early day fighting for life.”