A Bexhill couple are counting their blessings after their tiny daughter survived after being born at just 23 weeks.

Doctors said tiny Eva Saunders had only a one in 20 chance of living when she was born weighing just 1lb 2oz.

But six months on Chloe Suggit, 24, and Dale Saunders, 26, are the proud parents of a bouncing baby girl.

Chloe, who works for the Nationwide building society worker, said: “She is phenomenal. I get tearful just thinking about how far she has come.

“She was baptised straight after birth because we didn’t think she would make it — but she proved us all wrong.”

Not only did Eva defy the odds just by surviving, she also escaped the health complications many extremely premature babies suffer.

She was finally allowed home on January 28, four months after being born on September 29 last year.

Chloe, who lives with plumber Dale in Cooden Drive, added: “From the moment she was born, Eva was surrounded by love.

“I received 80 cards, text messages and phone calls from family and friends saying they were praying for her.

“Bexhill is a small town and people got to hear about Eva.

“A kind lady who had given birth to a very premature baby years earlier got in touch and wrote me a letter. Her words of support were a great comfort to me.