ANNA and Chris Batten have spent the last nine months worrying that their new baby would be born with the same rare medical condition which caused their four-year-old son to be born with no eyes.

But the Abergavenny couple were relieved after baby Rhys was born without bilateral anmophthalmia which both his mum and older brother Thomas have.

The family are now celebrating the birth of Rhys James Batten who arrived on time at 12.50am on January 15 at Abergavenny’s Nevill Hall Hospital weighing 9lbs 3ozs and four-year-old Thomas is said to be delighted with his new baby brother.

Thomas, a pupil at Deri View Primary School, spent the first few years of his life in and out of hospital after being born with the condition which only affects 35 babies a year in the UK.

Doctors realised his eyes had stopped growing in the womb and he was later fitted with prosthetic eyes.

Mr and Mrs Batten, of Victoria Street, had feared they would face the heartache all over again if they had another child.

Mrs Batten, 28, is the carrier of the affected gene and was told by doctors that there was a 50/50 chance of another child having the condition.

Mrs Batten said they did not know the outcome until baby Rhys arrived.

“We were concerned all the way through the pregnancy. It was very stressful. They said there may be a problem or there may not.”