A WOMAN who weighed little more than 3lb at birth is running the London Marathon to raise funds for a specialist baby charity.

When Laura Dale from Upton was born in October 1985, 10 weeks before her due date, she was so small that her parents were not allowed to take her home with them for a month.

Normal baby clothes wouldn’t fit her, so Laura had to wear a doll’s babygro – and even that was too large for her.

But with lots of help and advice from nurses on the Special Care Baby Unit at the Countess of Chester Hospital, who had been specially trained by baby care charity Bliss, Laura soon pulled through.

And almost 27 years later, she is training for the 26.2-mile challenge in April to give something back to the charity that helped her parents out so much.

“I was supposed to be a Christmas baby and it wasn’t planned when I was born in October,” said Laura, now an IT auditor for Bank of America.

“I was born weighing 3lb 6oz and then dropped to 3lb and babies aren’t allowed to leave hospital until they weigh 4lb, so it was tough for my parents as I was so tiny, but the nurses gave them great help and taught them how to bath me, tube feed me and change me.”

The advice proved invaluable just nine months later when Laura’s brother James was born eight weeks early and dropped to 2.5lbs, as they knew exactly how to handle such a small baby.

Remarkably considering their birth weights, Laura and James have led healthy and active lives with no major health problems.

The two were even in the same school year at Upton High School, thanks to their premature birth dates, which Laura said has made them closer.

“Everyone thought we were twins and it did make us closer, although James will deny it!” she added.

“I’m excited and nervous about the marathon but I am a goal driven person and unless I’ve got something to aim for, I probably wouldn’t do much at all.

“I’ve set myself a goal of £2,500 so I hope I can raise as much as possible. After the marathon I plan to organise some more fundraising events but I think I’ll wait to get it out of the way first!”

To sponsor Laura, visit uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LauraDale.