IT looked like any other summer fair, with games, a cake stall and a fundraising raffle.

But children at the Silver Star Society’s annual fete had stories to tell of survival against the odds – and a special reason for supporting the event at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital.

The hospital’s Silver Star Unit provides specialist care for women suffering difficulties with pregnancy, and their unborn children.

The society was set up by grateful parents to raise money for the unit.

Among those attending the fête on Saturday was TV comedian, writer and producer Armando Iannucci, who is the charity’s patron.

All three of his children, now aged 16, 11 and eight, were born at the unit after his wife, Rachael, suffered from diabetes during her pregnancies.

He said: “I saw first hand what they did and, as a result, I’ve been coming to these fundraising events regularly.

“I have seen the care and the round-the-clock attention and monitoring the staff give.

“I don’t normally do lots of big public things, but when they asked me to become patron, I was happy to do so, because it’s something that’s close to us.”

Prof Chris Redman set up the unit in 1970. He has since retired but is heavily involved in fundraising for the unit through the society.

He said: “It’s not about doing something clever medically, it’s about helping people create their families and being able to share a little bit of the joy. Being here and seeing some of the children who were born at the unit is what it’s all about.”

Sam Mill and Ryan Priddey’s three children, George, five, Isabelle, three, and Alfie, 10 months, were all born at the unit.

George was born three months premature, while Miss Mill suffered pancrea-titis during her pregnancy with Alfie and gestational diabetes during her pregnancies with Isabelle and Alfie.

She said: “Without the Silver Star team, George would definitely not be here. We owe them everything.”

Jo Coleman has Silver Star to thank for the health and well-being of her two sons, Philip, one, and Charlie, three – not to mention her own survival.

Mrs Coleman, 34, from Abingdon, developed pre-eclampsia with her first son, George, who was stillborn at 30 weeks.

She said: “I got very, very ill and the Silver Star basically saved my life.

“Luckily, when I got pregnant again with Charlie, they looked after me right through my pregnancy, and through that found out he had three kidneys, so they were able to investigate that as soon as he was born.

“With Philip I was again looked after very well and scanned very frequently.

“I’m indebted to them and I could never, ever do enough to thank them.

“The care I received when I lost my firstborn was outstanding, and the care with my following two as well.

“I feel like I could never repay them.”