A Pontypool girl given little chance of survival by doctors two years ago has enjoyed her first birthday party.

When Kirsty Poulsom’s waters broke at just 19 weeks pregnant her baby was given no prospect of survival by doctors.

But this weekend, her little girl, Esme, who has just turned two, celebrated with a "brilliant birthday party" - her first ever, as she was still too ill to have one last year when she turned one.

The youngster from Pontnewynydd celebrated her special day with around 20 other children at The Eden Play Centre in Abertillery on Saturday.

Esme's dad, Gareth, 28, said: “Last year she was so ill so this year it was great to see her playing and enjoying the day.”

The youngster is still facing tough battles, including being fed by a nasogastric tube, which passes through her nose and into the stomach.

She is waiting for a feeding tube to be placed directly into her stomach as she keeps pulling the tube out - something Mr Poulsom said they hope will be carried out in the new year, with them currently waiting for a letter to say the procedure can be done.

Mrs Poulsom, 25, explained that among the battles Esme has faced include taking milk into her lungs (aspirating), a problem which she still suffers with.

This year, Esme also underwent two investigations, including a bronchoscopy to look at her lung and another to look at her swallowing.

The problems with her lung began when she was about five months old, when she stopped breathing twice with both Mr and Mrs Poulsom having to resuscitate her.

In hospital, her condition worsened and one of her lungs collapsed. Despite efforts, the top half remains deflated.

On July 29, this year, the youngster also had an operation after being born with a Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) heart problem, where an opening, which usually closes after birth, remained open and surgeons in Bristol accessed her heart through her groin to close it.

Last year The South Wales Argus, report how Mrs Poulsom went into labour at Nevill Hall Hospital in Abergavenny at 19 weeks.

She said doctors “didn’t think Esme would survive because she’d had no waters for five weeks. There was a one per cent chance”.

But against the odds Esme was born crying - weighing just 1lb 60z - months before her original due date of April 7 and stayed in the special care baby unit for 100 days.