MEET a tiny tot who battled against the odds after being born five weeks premature at home.

Baby Rocket's sudden arrival meant 18-year-old aunt Jodie Dunn was forced to deliver him at their home in Polefield Circle, Prestwich.

Now 21-year-old mum Katie Dunn, who had been told she was unable to have children, has praised her sister's actions in the emergency.

But even though things went well the family had an anxious 12-week wait before Rocket - full name Rocket Kodie Ma-Miracle Fifa Dunn - could return home.

Katie, who lives with the rare muscle-wasting illness Friedreich's Ataxia, which destroys the nerve endings in the arms and legs resulting in her needing a wheelchair, said: "I just want to thank Jodie for everything she did for me and Rocket. She was amazing."

The drama unfolded six weeks before Katie's due date when she was taken to North Manchester General Hospital believing her waters had broken. Staff told her labour was a while off and sent her home. A few days later, Katie began to feel uneasy and went to bed before shouting for Jodie's help when she began to feel contractions.

Jodie explained: "I rang our mum to tell her I was taking Katie to hospital and everything was alright. Within five minutes of mum arriving at the house, Katie said she felt a burning sensation and started pushing. I could see Rocket was breeched and back to front and his head was stuck. Katie started having spasms and she and the baby were turning blue so I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him out."

Jodie started to give him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in a bid to revive him. When paramedics arrived, the family thought Rocket was dead and he was rushed to North Manchester General's special care baby unit where staff fought to get him breathing.

A few hours later, he was transferred to Hope Hospital in Salford where he spent the next few weeks fighting infections, having regular fits and undergoing brain scans.

After five weeks, he was sent to St Mary's Hospital and rushed into theatre for a life-saving operation, with doctors giving him a one-in -ten chance of survival.

But he battled through and was finally allowed home two weeks ago.

Jodie, who will be Rocket's full-time carer, said: "I thought I was losing both of them right in front of me and I was so scared, but his breathing is fine now and he is doing really well.

"You would not guess he was the same baby when you see pictures of when he was born. I always wanted to be a midwife but not after going through that!"

And the reason behind the baby's unusual name? Katie's brother Ryan explained: "Our three-year-old brother Blaze chose Rocket because everything is a firework to him, Katie wanted to name him after Jodie so we took the K from Katie and created Kodie, Ma-miracle because he is Katie's miracle, and Fifa because during the pregnancy I was watching football!"