It is every parent’s nightmare to be told their newborn baby won’t live past 24 hours.

But that was the reality facing first-time parents Stephen Godfrey and Philippa McCabe when their son James was born at Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital six months ago.

Now he is back at home in Bampton, but his parents have been told there is nothing more doctors can do, and that he could die at any time.

The community is rallying around the family to raise money for the charities that have made James’s life special.

Village postman Mr Godfrey, 34, said: “Fatherhood has been amazing, but much harder than I thought it would be.

“James is a happy little guy. But he’s got so much wrong with him, there’s nothing more they can do.

“This is a time when we should be celebrating the addition to our little family, but instead we’re coping with all these emotions.”

James was born with breathing difficulties. After extensive tests, he was diagnosed with a rare condition affecting blood vessels in the brain. It affects just one in three million babies.

Mr Godfrey said: “It’s all a bit of a blur. He was flown straight to Glasgow and we followed on the train.

“He had procedures where doctors operated on his brain and glued up blood vessels that shouldn’t be there.

“The first operation went wrong, so he ended up having three. The last one took nine hours; it was difficult.”

Back at home, James is given morphine twice a day and can now be bottle fed, after three months of being fed through a tube in his stomach.

Mr Godfrey said: “Now we’re just waiting. People have been amazing though, everyone on my rounds has been helping.”

The Just for James fundraising drive has raised thousands for Helen and Douglas House hospice, the John Radcliffe Hospital, AirMed, Yorkhill Children’s Hospital in Glasgow, Ronald McDonald House and Rosy Respite Care.

Mr Godfrey said: “We are so grateful to everyone. It is because of them that we still have James.”

He and friends ran the Oxford Half Marathon last month and raised £4,000. Hundreds of pounds has also been raised at car boot sales, beer festivals and other events. A raffle and auction has been organised at the Talbot Inn in Bampton at 8pm on Saturday, October 29.

Friend and organiser Penny Bradley said: “Everyone knows Steve around here and we all want to help the family as much as we can.”

To find out more, or donate, see the Facebook page justforjames