CUSTOMERS at a Tenbury pub have been getting dressed for bed to say a big thank you to staff at Birmingham Children’s Hospital who saved the life of a baby from Newnham Bridge.

Melissa Hodges and Dan Dobbs, who live at Broom Bank, got the news that all prospective parents dread when they were told that all was not well with their unborn baby.

It was devastating news for them to be told that tests had revealed that the baby had a life threatening heart condition that would need emergency treatment.

A scan at 20 weeks had revealed that the baby’s heart was not developing properly.

Therefore, it was a traumatic time a few months ago when baby Connor was born early on January 13 by a planned caesarean section.

Instead of going into the arms of mum and dad he was immediately rushed into an operating theatre for a life saving open-heart operation.

The surgeons and nurses worked their ‘magic’ and now baby Connor is home and making good progress.

Within the past week Connor has been back for the second of a series of planned operations but is now back home.

“We cannot praise the care that he has received too highly,” said mum Melissa Hodges.

Regulars at the Kings Head in Tenbury were so taken by the story that they wanted to find a practical way to say ‘thank you’ to the hospital. So the idea of a ‘pyjama party’ was born.

The party, along with various other events, was organised by Andrew and Marie Williams and Stewart and Fiona Gittens who drink at the pub and know Connor’s family.

Debbie Holland, the landlady at the pub in Cross Street, and landlord Tim Freestone did not need to be asked twice.

“People were invited to come along for an evening in their pyjamas and it really caught the imagination of customers,” said Debbie Holland.

“There were also many local businesses that decided to get involved and support the fundraising. It really has been a great community effort.”

A name the teddy bear competition was held and there was a raffle of prizes including two tickets from the West Midlands Safari Park and the Regal Cinema, treatment from Shorty’s Beauty Salon in the town, blooms from Flowers at Number One, and lunch at The Mad Hatters Cafe.

But it was not just local businesses that were involved. Birmingham City Football Club and Wolverhampton Wanderers both provided tickets.

In the tradition of live music at The Kings Heads there were sets by Moth, Four Coffs, a ukulele band from Tenbury, and an acoustic set from Stewart Gittens.

Andrew Williams entered into the spirit of the evening which he spent inside a gorilla costume.

But the star of the night was little Connor who turned up with mum and dad to say a big thanks.

At the end of it all £680 had been raised for the Birmingham Children’s Hospital to help with their work giving children like Connor the chance of life.