A dad whose miracle baby survived against the odds is creating a video diary documenting the reality of having a seriously ill child during the pandemic.

Lee O'Neill, from Ramsgate, says he hopes others going through the same thing will take some comfort from it and realise they are not alone at a time when people feel so more than ever.

He and his partner Kate Ownsworth welcomed baby Henry into the world on April 25 - three months before his due date.

They had been told at 21 weeks pregnant that he would almost certainly die after Ms Ownsworth's waters broke early, but he surprised everyone and seven weeks later, was born by emergency caesarean at the QEQM.

But the tiny tot, weighing 3lbs 8oz, was gravely ill, with his lungs collapsing and then problems with his bowel, so he was moved to the Evelina hospital in London, where he remains.

Mr O'Neill, a chef at the fire training and development centre in Manston, says what is already a traumatic situation is being made much worse due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

"It's doubled the intensity," he said.

"When Henry was first transferred to the William Harvey we would go back and forth each day and I would wait in the car for hours while Kate went to see him as I wasn't allowed in.

"I got to see him for two minutes when he was born and then again, two weeks later, before he came to the Evelina.

"Before that I wasn't allowed to see him unless he reached rock bottom and wasn't going to survive."

Now, while staying in hospital accommodation in London, the couple can only see him one at a time.

Neither can go home to see their other children, who are being cared for by Ms Ownsworth's parents, due to the risk of Covid-19.

If they did go back to Ramsgate, they wouldn't be allowed back in to the Evelina to see Henry in case they had picked up the virus.

Mr O'Neill is also unable to work due to being in London, prompting a fundraiser to be set up by his sister to help the couple pay the bills.

"It's hard - we Facetime the kids but the younger ones are getting upset because they don't really understand," he said.

The couple, who both have children from previous relationships, did not expect to have another after Ms Ownsworth, 34, a health care assistant at the QEQM, was told she wouldn't be able to conceive again.

Mr O'Neill said: "For us this was our unexpected chance to have a child together because although we both have children, this would be our baby and complete our family."

Henry is showing signs of improvement since the operation to remove some of his bowel, which the couple were warned he may not survive.

"He's on a good little run now. His breathing's come on massively," said Mr O'Neill.

"But it's been tough.

"The other day I looked at him and said 'you're perfect' and he had one of those little windy smiles. Afterwards I just broke down.

"I try to stay strong for Kate. She's been amazing, considering she's had a c-section and then had to have a hysterectomy - she's soldiered on."

He says he started doing a video diary on YouTube while he waited outside hospital in his car, at first to make him feel better but then to help anyone else going through something similar.

"It's been a way to both let out my feelings and open up and also because it may make others in similar situations feel they aren’t alone," he said.

He says unknown to him his sister set up the fundraising page for people to support the couple.

"At first, I felt embarrassed. I'm quite a proud guy," he said.

"But the donations covered my wages for last week. I am really grateful as we still need to pay our bills."

To see his diary click here.

To donate click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Thanet