THE parents of a baby boy who died aged just 16 weeks have described him as their ‘little Braveheart’.

William Edgar James Ward Anderson was born with two holes in his heart and spent his entire life in hospitals.

But the tot defied doctors who didn’t expect him to survive for four months.

His dad James Anderson and mum Barbara Allen, of Coal Clough Lane in Burnley, have pledged to pay a special tribute to William during their wedding in August.

They have also set up a charity, William’s Wishing Well, in honour of their son.

Mr Anderson, 45, a retired plumber, said: “He was a proper little Braveheart.

“It’s sad that the only time he’ll get to come home will be for his funeral.

“We spent every single day in hospital with him and photographed him every day of his life so his memory will live on.

“We’ve changed the vows for our wedding so that we will be referred to as William’s mum and William’s dad after our names.

“He only cried once in his life but it was the quietest, faintest thing ever.

“Normally, you don’t want your child to cry, you want them to be safe, but it was such an emotional moment hearing him do that.

“I’m so proud to be his dad.”

William was born at Burnley General Hospital at 5.11am on February 3 and spent 12 weeks in the neo-natal intensive care unit before being transferred to the paediatric intensive care unit at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool where he died on May 25.

During his short life, William suffered numerous infections and underwent surgery on his bowel.

Miss Allen, 39, who has five other children, gave birth to William 31 weeks into her pregnancy.

She said: “We’ve had wonderful support from our friends and family and the nurses and doctors at Burnley, Alder Hey and Ronald McDonald House.

“William was such a cheeky chappy, always winding up the nurses.

“He could recognise my perfume as soon as I walked into the room and hated it when I stopped cuddling him.

“Everyone will miss him so much.”

William’s older sister, Annalise, seven, said: “He was a really good little brother and I read to him in the garden all the time.”