TWO children who underwent life-saving surgery shortly after birth have inspired their families to set up a new charity.

Scott Headley-Price, now aged five, and three-year-old Dannielle Amos were both born with short bowel syndrome (SBS), which meant they had small intestines measuring less than 50 per cent of the average length.

Medical intervention was required to lengthen their bowels and ensure the children would survive.

Their families have now founded a Radcliffe-based charity named Short Bowel Survivors And Friends to help the parents of other children born with the condition.

They have set up a website providing information about the causes of SBS, treatment, surgery, after-care and support, nutrition advice and much more.

Their long-term goal is to raise the £5,000 needed to become a registered charity, enabling them to provide financial support for families in need.

Co-founder and trustee, Emily Price, discovered SBS when her son Scott was born with just 39cm of small intestine instead of the usual 220cm. He spent the first 18 months of his life in hospital and has undergone three major surgeries to lengthen his bowel.

Scott first started eating baby rice at 11 months old and now eats like any other five-year-old.

However, his bowel does not absorb the food, so he needs to go to the toilet more often and has extra nutrients to keep him healthy.

But that doesn’t stop the Springside Primary School pupil, who loves playing with Lego and Playmobil toys and going to work with his dad, truck driver Ben Headley.

Miss Price, aged 25, of Long Lane, Walmersley, said: “Scott is doing really well now. He loves food and he’ll eat everything and anything. He is really looking forward to Christmas and will have a traditional Christmas dinner.

“It was hard when he was born though and we were told he wouldn’t survive the first night.

“We looked up short bowel syndrome on the internet, but we could only find American websites. There was no information for people in the UK and no-one to ask questions.

“Hopefully our charity can help other new parents and show them that there is hope. Scott had a tough start due to short bowel, but he should have a normal life now.”

At the helm of the charity is co-founder and chairman Mary Foss, whose granddaughter Dannielle was born with a bowel measuring only 10cm.

She had surgery as soon as she was born and has been in and out of hospital ever since, undergoing four further operations.

Dannielle, of Milner Street, Radcliffe, eats small meals now, but she also needs to be fed nutrients intravenously and through a gastrostomy, an artificial external opening into her stomach.

That doesn’t stop her enjoying her favourite foods though — tinned spaghetti in tomato sauce and Babybel cheese — and attending the nursery at Radcliffe Primary School.

Dannielle’s mum, Joanna Amos, is also involved with the charity as the membership secretary.

Mrs Foss said: “Dannielle is intelligent, quite lively and a determined little lady. She is a battler. She has quite a regime, but she copes extremely well with it most of the time.

“When she was born there didn’t seem to be any information we could find out about short bowel syndrome.

“We hope to be able to provide support for parents who are in hospital with babies that are having bowel surgery. Quite often the children are in hospital for a long time and their parents need help, whether its money or support.”

To find out more: visit shortbowelsurvivor.co.uk