FOR ex-Great Britain player and Saints favourite Roy Haggerty and his partner, Wendy Smith, the first birthday of their son, Leon Roy was a date they feared they might never see, let alone celebrate.

Baby Leon was born with just half a heart and other severe health problems and has already undergone open-heart surgery and suffered a bout of meningitis.

But the tiny battler has amazed doctors and confounded all the odds to reach his special milestone.

Mum, Wendy, from Elizabeth Road, Haydock, told the Star: "We didn't think there was a problem when Leon was born. He was full-term and a healthy 7Ib 5oz and everything seemed OK. But two days after the birth, doctors said they detected a heart murmur and when they did a scan, they said he only had half a heart and this wasn't working properly."

The couple -- who, between them have four other children, Roy's sons, Gareth (18) and Kurt (12), and Wendy's daughters, Danielle (14) and eight-year-old Victoria -- were stuuned when they heard the news.

Wendy added: "We couldn't believe what they were telling us. He has hyperplastic left heart syndrome and a number of associated conditions, including mitral atresia and pulmonary stenosis and they told us he would have to have surgery as soon as possible because all his veins and arteries were back to front." Alder Hey Hospital soon became almost a second home for the couple while Leon had treatment and in March this year, he underwent surgery to correct his arteries. But another problem was to follow when Leon developed meningitis after coming home from hospital.

Wendy said: "It really knocked us for six because it seemed like one thing after another for Leon. He had to go straight back to Alder Hey and was there for another week but managed to fight it off. He has been amazing actually -- there is so much fight in him that he has been an inspiration to all the family. He is not out of danger yet. He has kidney problems, will need a lot more surgery on his heart and the doctors have said that he will need a heart and lung transplant when he is old enough but at the moment he is taking it all in his stride."

Leon is now preparing for his next operation, the first phase of a Fontam Procedure to reconstruct his heart, which will take place at the end of the month.

Wendy added: "I would like to thank all the staff at K2 ward in Alder Hey and McDonald House where parents are put up, relatives and friends from Haydock, particularly Leon's sisters, and our neighbours, Joe and Janet and their family. We have also had support from Father Rodney of St James Church and the English Martyrs RC Church, Haydock Reading Rooms and Haydock Cricket Club who have all given support. Seeing Leon's big smile makes everything worthwhile."