A YOUNG family is hoping to raise £1,000 so they can buy an adapted buggy for their three-month-old son who was deprived of oxygen at birth.

Little Lloyd Tucker was delivered by emergency Caesarean section at Poole Maternity Unit on October 10 last year and it soon became clear there were serious complications.

He was rushed by ambulance to a hospital in Portsmouth where he was cooled for 72 hours and diagnosed with hypoxia ischaemic encephalopathy, caused by a lack of oxygen to the brain. Mum Diane Preston, 27, who works as a health care assistant at Poole Hospital said: “I was only able to hold him for five minutes before he was taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital.

“His dad Terry was crying but I didn’t really know what was happening.” “Lloyd needed to be cooled and stabilised to and ensure his brain wasn’t overworking.

“This stops the damage and prevents and further damage happening.

“It’s now a waiting game to see how he develops.”

The family are now able to take Lloyd out of hospital and are in desperate need of a special buggy so they can take him outside with all his medical equipment.

Diane said: “Normal pushchairs don’t have enough room to fit all the oxygen cylinders, suction tubes, feeding pumps, changing bag and extra water.

“So we are holding a fundraising evening to raise as much as possible to get a new buggy.”

Nursing Co-ordinator at Poole Hopistal Nicky Storey is organising the fundraising evening which will be held a Camps Bar in Poole Stadium on January 18 at 7.30pm.

She said: “It is such a heart-wrenching story, so I am doing everything I can to help out.

“I’m appealing for local businesses to donate prizes to the main draw.”

If you are interested in helping out, contact Nicky on 07767 827393.

Entry price will be £5.