AS a baby, Sam Watson was rushed into accident and emergency by his parents because he was struggling to breathe.

Oxford Children’s Hospital treated him in the high dependency unit and helped clear the respiratory infection in his airways.

Now seven, Sam is fighting fit and his mum, Sarah Watson, of Madley Park, Witney, has signed up for the next Oxford Mail-backed OX5 Run to raise money for the hospital, on the site of the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Headington.

The 34-year-old said: “It is really scary when something like that happens; it is not what you plan.

“We took him to A and E, which is quite daunting, but within 24 hours you wouldn’t even have known he was the same child.

“It was very serious at one point, so Oxford Children’s Hospital is very close to my heart.”

Sam was born four and a half weeks early because Mrs Watson developed the life-threatening pregnancy condition pre-eclampsia.

She spent eight days in the John Radcliffe Hospital’s maternity ward.

Mrs Watson and husband Chris have since also had three-year-old Jessica.

The Oxfordshire County Council payroll officer is running the five-mile OX5 Run for the first time on March 30 with friend Rohanna Evans.

She is hoping to raise more than £100 for the charity.

The annual charity run, organised by the Oxford Mail and sponsored by Allen Associates, is held in the grounds of Blenheim Palace, in Woodstock.

To enter complete the adjacent coupon or go to hospitalcharity.co.uk/ ox5run