Jo Hetherington has twice suffered the heartbreak of losing a child after giving birth prematurely, but her determination to have a family has paid off.

She is now bringing up three-year-old Jonathan and Maria, six months, but she has not forgotten the anguish she and her partner, Simon Stabler, have been through during the past few years.

Two of their four children died within hours of being born prematurely and now she is planning a fundraising event to repay the neonatal unit at Hull Royal Infirmary.

"It was horrendous," said 32-year-old Jo, of Park Avenue, Driffield. "You never think it could happen twice to one person but Jonathan helped us get through it."

Jonathan was born six weeks early and Maria arrived eight weeks early. Both were delivered by caesarean section at Hull Royal Infirmary.

Jo, who said trying for more children after Jonathan had been a risk she was willing to take, explained she was very nervous with each of her pregnancies and had to spend a long period in hospital just before Maria was born.

She said: "I suppose I would have done anything to have another child - it was a risk."

Jo, who is currently on maternity leave from her job as a medical secretary, spent seven weeks in hospital because she was suffering from a rare condition which meant Maria may not have survived if a blood vessel had burst.

Because of the distance between Driffield and Hull, Jo was kept on the ward until Maria arrived.

She said: "I live too far from Hull which was hard because I had to leave Jonathan at home. Simon had to change all of his shifts, but my family were fantastic.

"I was nervous about going into early labour because you don't want to have them early and have to leave them in hospital."

The couple do not plan to have any more children and Jo, who expects to be back at work part time in August, has organised a movies-themedfancy dress event to raise money for the neonatal intensive care unit at Hull Royal Infirmary.

All proceeds will help fund its life-saving equipment, such as incubators.

The event will take place at the Old Town Hall, Driffield, from 7.30pm on Saturday July 5. Tickets can be purchased from Sokells.

suzie.towne@yrnltd.co.uk