A Brentry mum is preparing to mark the 21st birthday of her daughter who died from a genetic disorder six months after she was born.

Samantha Leaver was not expected to live more than 24 hours after she was born in May 1988, but defied doctors and lived until Christmas Day that year.

This year to commemorate the landmark birthday, her mum Julie Bakos will be holding an Eighties night to raise money for the baby unit at Southmead Hospital, where Samantha was cared for during the first few of months of her life.

Samantha was born with a rare disorder, Edward's syndrome, and other complications, which meant her body had not been formed properly.

Mrs Bakos, 43, said: "Samantha had lots and lots of tests, but 21 years ago they did not know as much as they do now. Everything was just jumbled up in her body.

"They realised almost straight away and she was rushed to the baby unit for the first few weeks and they were trying to do tests to find out what was wrong with her. Originally she was not expected to live more than 24 hours but she carried on living."

Mrs Bakos, of Charlton Road, has three other daughters, Shauna, 23, and Laura, who will be 17 the day before Samantha's birthday, Nicole, 14, and a son, Charlie, 12. The retail assistant is currently caring full-time for her husband Laszlo, a roofer who suffered an accident.

"It was amazing in one way that she lived longer, but it was like living on a knife edge really, waiting and not knowing what would happen. My eldest daughter was two-and-a-half at the time and I felt like I was being split between them, which was really difficult, but I just said we wanted her home."

The family have marked Samantha's other special birthdays and raised several thousands of pounds for the special care baby unit as part of the celebrations. This year they hope to make £2,100 for her 21st.

"After she passed away, rather than let it go I have been fundraising in her memory for the baby unit at certain times of the year. For her 16th birthday we did a garden fete and then at Christmas we would put lots of lights all over the house to raise money for the unit.

"We thought this was an ideal time for an 80s party to raise a good amount of money.

"It's important to me as a way of keeping Samantha's memory alive."

The event at the Greenway Centre in Southmead will include a disco and raffle and there will also be a chance for people to take a look at the book Mrs Bakos compiled on Samantha's life for a donation.

Mrs Bakos is looking for donations from businesses for the raffle, to help out or buy tickets contact 07772 828 645. Tickets are also available at the Gateway Centre on Doncaster Road, at On A Roll or at Cliff's Florist on Greystoke Road.