A FAMILY who were warned their baby could die from a cold this winter are praying he will overcome bronchitis.

Carson Hartley’s worried parents say the Oswaldtwistle tot fell ill on Thursday after contracting the airborne virus which is one of the worst winter illnesses he could have succumbed to.

For the first two days Carson was wheezy and doctors said any worsening of his condition would see him transferred to Intensive Care.

Seven-month-old Carson has already battled through numerous set-backs due to his condition, Tetralogy of Fallot.

The congenital heart defect which sees the blood starved of oxygen is known as ‘blue baby syndrome’.

Carson was born three-months premature and had to be resuscitated because he was not breathing.

He went on to suffer a heart attack at just three- months-old.

He is undergoing treatment at Liverpool’s Alder Hey but has under-developed lungs which need to grow before he is considered for life saving heart surgery in the spring.

Mum Kirsty Harris said: “This was the virus they warned us about in particular and we are not even at the start of winter yet.

2They are preparing us for the worst. It is just a case of seeing what will happen. We have our fingers, legs and toes crossed - we can only wait.”

Kirsty also thanked local schools which have backed their appeal to help Alder Hey’s Ronald McDonald house, where she is staying during Carson’s treatment.

“We are really grateful. It’s brilliant so many want to help,” she said.

Both Rhyddings and Norden High Schools are hosting non uniform days and a bucket collection is being held at the Accrington Stanley game on Saturday October 16.

She said: “We are really grateful. It’s only early days with the fund-raising but it’s brilliant so many people want to help.”

Anyone who would like to help the family’s fund-raising efforts is asked to contact Kirsty on 07546 819167.