FORMER Blackburn Rovers striker Paul Gallagher and his wife Hayley are mourning the loss of their “precious” baby son – while his tiny twin sister fights for her life in hospital.

The couple, who are both from Blackburn, announced that their son Luca James died on Monday night, while his twin sister Ava Amelie remains in intensive care.

The twins, who were born on Monday, were not due until June, and little Ava weighs just two pounds and ten ounces.

Paul, 27, said on Twitter that Monday had been “a long day with lots of tears” and added yesterday: “When I woke up this morning was praying yesterday was a nightmare but has been the hardest day of my life. #riplucajames #prayforava.”

He later wrote: “Thank you every1 for ur support. Going up to see Ava in NICU she is a little fighter.”

Hayley tweeted: “Worst day of our lives lost our precious little boy Luca James. Overwhelmed by the love and support. Thank you everyone for the kind messages.”

The social networking site and football forums were flooded with messages of support for the couple, who also have another daughter.

Gallagher, who plays for Leicester City, was born in Glasgow but was brought up in the Higher Croft area of Blackburn and went to Our Lady and St John's School in Blackburn.

He signed for Rovers as a schoolboy and played 61 times for the club scoring six goals between 2002 and 2009.

He has also made one appearance for Scotland.

After leaving Rovers he joined Leicester for an undisclosed fee. He also played for Stoke City, Preston North End and Plymouth Argyle on loan.

Hayley made headlines in March last year when she and several other footballers’ wives from the Midlands trekked across The Great Wall of China to raise money for The Meningitis Trust.

She championed the charitable cause in honour of her brother-in-law, who died from the disease as a young boy, and was joined by Becky Doyle, wife of Birmingham City goalkeeper Colin Doyle, after their baby son, Liam, nearly died from meningitis in 2010.