A family who was sent into freefall when their son was born prematurely at 30 weeks and then contracted meningitis is now raising money for the unit that saved him, by taking part in a skydive.

Now a thriving 15-month-old boy, things could have been very different for little Taylor James from St Keverne if it wasn't for the staff at the neonatal until of Truro's Royal Cornwall Hospital.

Born ten weeks early weighing just 3lb 8oz, Taylor spent 40 days being ventilated and cared for on the unit.

Worse was to come, however, as just six weeks later, having been discharged from hospital, Taylor caught a cold that developed into viral meningitis.

His mum Tina, who had experienced eight years of infertility issues before finally becoming pregnant with Taylor, said: "This is where the neonatal unit went above and beyond to keep our son alive.

"Taylor was just 36 weeks gestational age at this point. The staff both on the children's ward and intensive care didn't have the experience or knowledge of a tiny baby, so the on duty staff nurse from the neonatal unit stayed with Taylor, first on the children's ward and then in intensive care before transfer to Bristol Hospital, where he remained on intensive care for six days.

"While in Bristol, Treliske neonatal unit rang everyday to check on his progress and also to talk to us to check how we were. This was particularly important to us when we were unsure if they would amputate his leg; the longest three days of our lives."

The unit also provided Tina with two top-of-the-range breast pumps - the first when Taylor was born so unexpectedly and the second when the Taylor was sent by emergency transfer to Bristol, and the family had nothing with them - as well as clothes and nappies, all funded through donations.

With the whole experience now thankfully a distant memory, Taylor's parents Tina and Phill want to giving something back to the neonatal unit by raising money towards its long-term project of building a family room for parents.

Currently families have to use the staff facilities and are forced to wait outside in the general waiting room when any baby is receiving treatment on the neonatal unit, for confidentiality reasons.

To this end, Tina booked her husband for a skydive - but kept it a secret until Saturday, his 30th birthday, when she revealed all.

Now, weather permitting, Phill will be taking to the skies this Sunday for the big jump, for which he will be joined by one of his closest friends, Dan Oliver, who he met when they both played football for St Keverne FC.

An online fundraising page has been created at justgiving.com/fundraising/Tina-James3 where more than £1,500 has already been pledged.

Tina, a marine engineer who taught at Falmouth Marine School for six years and also worked as Falmouth Docks before leaving work when she had Taylor, said: "Please help us to give the unit additional funds so they can help other families' dreams come true and continue the exceptional standard of care they currently deliver.

"The support the staff gave not only our son but us was incredible. They made a horrendous situation manageable.

"The unit is the only one in Cornwall and they deal with hundreds of babies being cared for there every year.

"I think most people know someone who has been through the unit."