A BABY boy who spent a record breaking 10 months in a hospital's special care baby unit has been allowed home for the first time in his short life.

Little Aaron Nolan-Massey became Fairfield special care baby unit's longest patient before he was finally fit enough to go to his family home in Radcliffe.

The tiny tot waved goodbye to his "second family" on the unit and children's ward at a special leaving party.

Aaron was born prematurely at 29 weeks, on December 6. He weighed just 2lbs 8oz, and spent the first month fighting for his life.

Beset by one complication after another over the following months, he was placed in the special care baby unit and in June was moved to the children's ward.

His mum, Andrea Nolan-Massey, said: "Aaron is a little fighter. He has gone through so much in his short life and now he is home.

"The staff on the special care baby unit and children's ward are our second family now."

Aaron was born by emergency caesarean seven months into his mum's pregnancy.

He was rushed into the special care baby unit, where he was resuscitated and put on a ventilator.

Mrs Nolan-Massey, who lives with her family on Glenvale Close, said: "For the first month it could have gone either way for Aaron. Then four weeks later we found he had water on the brain, but he could not have the operation to remedy that until February because of his low weight.

"I was discharged from hospital a couple of weeks later, and it was heartbreaking to leave Aaron."

The youngster was due to leave hospital in April this year to join his sister Shabana, aged 18, and brother Sam, aged seven, at home, but feeding difficulties meant he had to undergo a further operation in Royal Manchester Children's Hospital at Pendlebury to have a tube fitted.

Mrs Nolan-Massey said that he also developed a chest infection and meningitis.

The determined youngster pulled through and on Friday, Aaron joined the staff and family in supporting Jeans for Genes Day by wearing denim trousers for his "going home" party.

His mum described controversial proposals to close the special baby care unit at Fairfield. The move, announced earlier this year amid huge protests, would also mark the end of overnight stays for children.

She said: "I will be joining the protest march against the plans.

"My son has been in this hospital since he was born. How could I have coped if he was further away?"

She added: "The staff on special care and children's ward are second to none. This unit cannot close."