For four years pub landlord Dean Creighton donated cash from a major charity event he organises to the Forever Friends Appeal at the Royal United Hospital, Bath, without thinking his family would ever need its help.

But in January his nephew was born 12 weeks prematurely and he was looked after in the hospital's neo-natal intensive car unit .

Now baby Thomas will be guest of honour at this year's Box Rocks event on Monday.

Mr Creighton, who runs The Queen's Head, hopes the fifteenth Box Rocks will be able to give more money than usual to the appeal, which is aiming to raise £4.7 million for a new neo-natal intensive care unit.

He said: "We started raising money for NICU about four or five years ago. So it's quite strange that Thomas has been cared for by the same unit.

"Its almost like it was meant to be.

"We have always thought it is such a good charity and they are so professional at fundraising. We raised over £2,000 last year and hopefully we can raise over £3,000 this year."

Thomas was born on January 19 by caesarean section after his mother's waters broke and she discovered it would be a breach birth.

Kerry Creighton, sister-in-law to Dean Creighton, of High Street, Box, said: "I had no idea what was happening when my waters broke at home on the day of the labour. I just didn't register that I was going into labour because it was too early and my pregnancy had been perfect."

Luckily Thomas was born weighing 3Ib 5oz, which was a good size for a baby born at 28 weeks.

Thomas was put on a continuous positive airway pressure to help his breathing for the first four weeks and then monitored for a further four weeks before he was allowed to go home.

She said: "My husband David and I feel so lucky that he was healthy when he was born compared to other premature babies in the unit."

The couple's firstborn is now seven months old and weighs 14 Ibs.

The 38-year-old interior designer said: "I am just so grateful to the staff, who helped me through my first birth.

"They were marvellous. Although I felt lucky, I was also worried during his first few weeks of life because he had to be monitored, and they reassured me."

Mrs Creighton will be at Box Rocks on Monday with her husband and baby Thomas.

She said: "I am going to hold a clothing fundraising event in Box later in the year so people can bring clothes to sell instead of taking them to charity shops."

Box Rocks will start at 2pm and go on for eight hours during which time eight bands are lined up to perform.

They are Corinthian Casuals, Straight Shooter, Troy Ellis and the Longshots, Who's Next, The Scratch, Yellotone and The Attorneys, Sky Babies and Rocky Horrors.

For more information log on to www.boxrocks.biz/