MOST people express their thanks with a gift of a box of chocolates or a bunch of flowers.

But when generous St Helens businessman, Ian Shaw-Binns' fiancee, Suzanne McAvoy gave birth to their son, Ryan Ian, six weeks prematurely in Whiston Hospital's Special Care Baby Unit, he was so pleased with the standard of care that he presented the unit with a fully operational £1,000 computer.

Ian, who runs Peach Computers from his home in Marshalls Cross, explained his big-hearted decision to the Star: "The baby care unit has been absolutely brilliant to us. Ryan was just 3Ib 5oz when he was born and although he was born six weeks early, his condition was more like that of a 10 weeks premature baby and the nurses were so good to him and Suzanne that I felt I wanted to give them something back in return.

"I was there visiting a lot and one of the nurses mentioned to me that the hospital trust had turned down their request for a computer which they would have used in nurse training and for resources.

"This was what gave me the idea to donate a computer and after getting a friend of mine, Steve Bradshaw, who runs Express Computers, to chip in, we were able to get a new PC to the ward."

Suzanne is now back at the couple's home after spending nine days at the hospital but little Ryan will remain there under observation for the next few weeks.

Ian added: "He is a little belter and has just weighed in at 4Ibs so we are really pleased with his progress. Unfortunately, we don't know when we will be able to bring him home but he is in the best possible place and I am just pleased Steve and I have been able to help the unit."

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