IT is something most people take for granted, but Matthew Kent is about to spend his first new year without the need for equipment to help him breathe.

Since his premature birth on July 27, 2000, Matthew has constantly battled to put on weight and because his lungs are not fully developed he has had to breathe with the aid of a low-pressure oxygen supply.

But for a few weeks now, the 17-month-old has been gradually weaned off his low pressure oxygen supply and is now able to breathe without the equipment that has been his lifeline until now.

His father Paul, 35, a postal worker, said: "It is wonderful. When you are picking up Mat-thew, you don't have to pick up all the oxygen tanks and tubes.

"In the early days, we didn't ever hope that he would be able to live a normal life.

"But as time went on, we soon realised that he would be okay.

"We still have to monitor him at night and we carry the oxygen around with us, but he has not had any difficulties yet, which is the best Christ-mas present we could ask for."

When he was born 15 weeks early, Matthew weighed just 1lb 10.5 oz. Early pictures of his tiny frail body show him to be just the size of an unfurled watchstrap and doctors told parents Karen, 34 and Paul that their son's chances of survival were slim at best. Because of the circumstances of his birth, Matthew suffered from a number of medical complications including a faulty heart valve, a hernia and chronic lung disease.

Staff at Princess Margaret Hospital's special care baby unit battled to keep him alive and after a 114-day stay in the unit, he was well enough to live with his parents in Liden.

But days later his condition deteriorated to such an extent that he had to be rushed to Bristol Children's Hospital where again he recovered despite doctors at one point giving him a life expectancy of just hours.

Thanks to the dedicated care he has received, he now weighs in at 17lbs 4oz.

And although he still has to eat liquidised food, doctors are confident that he will be able to move on to solid food in a few months' time.