A mum claims her baby son's 'guardian angel' grandad appeared in a scan photo to look over her child - and even helped save his life from meningitis after he was born.

Gemma Hughes, 25, spotted what she says is the face of her partner Dane Curran's late father Ian in the black and white scan of her son Vinnie.

The boy was a rainbow baby after Gemma had suffered a devastating miscarriage in 2015, and Gemma believes Ian was watching over his grandson.

She now credits him for being behind their intuition to take Vinnie to a hospital when he was seriously ill with bacterial meningococcal meningitis at just 10 weeks old.

Gemma Hughes with her 22-month-old son Vinnie

It felt like the family couldn't escape the infection - as Dane had nearly died from it as a baby and it had also killed his brother at just four months old.

Gemma now keeps a copy of the scan on her bedside table and claims a little bit of Ian remains with Vinnie each day, as the 22-month-old has his grandad's name as his middle name.

The mum-of-two, from Sheffield, South Yorks, said: "We were riding home in the car after having the scan and I opened up the picture to look at it, and I was admiring it, like you do, and noticed the face at the top.

Vinnie's grandad Ian Curran died after suffering a heart attack (
Image:
Kennedy News and Media)

"I spotted it straight away as it is quite blatant. It's just bang, there looking down. It's as if it's in the clouds looking down, it's quite magical really.

"Straight away we knew who it was. We put Ian's photo against it and it's the same shaped face. The nose is identical and everything.

"We believe he was there for a reason, and that he came down to protect the baby for fear they could have meningitis.

"We believe that he is the baby's guardian angel and that's why he's showing up on this scan picture.

Vinnie in hospital after being diagnosed with meningitis (
Image:
Kennedy News and Media)

"It is scary how many of our family have been affected by meningitis, especially considering it's not hereditary.

"It's nice to have that thought that we knew who it was. It brought lots of comfort to us."

Ian Curran passed away suddenly aged just 45 around a decade ago from a heart attack.

He had had to watch both Dane and his brother battle meningitis and sadly Dane's brother lost his battle aged just four months.

Dad Dane Curran with baby Vinnie and daughter Maizey, aged seven (
Image:
Kennedy News and Media)

When Vinnie fell ill in November 2016, Gemma believes it was thanks to Ian watching over the family that they got the baby to hospital so quickly.

Gemma, a stay-at-home mum while Dane works at a scrap merchant, said: "Bacterial meningococcal meningitis is a very serious bug so it is a good job we got to hospital in time.

"He was very poorly though. He was normal and then one day out of the blue he went red hot and burnt up, his eyes were blinking and he was very ill.

"We had no idea what it was so rushed him to the children's hospital straight away. His heart rate fell though and they had to give him a lumbar puncture to find out what it was.

"I was distraught, I felt sick. Dane was so scared when he heard it was meningitis because obviously his brother had died at four months old of it and he had had it as a baby.

"Dane's mum Zoe was there too and it was horrible for her having to go through it all over again.

"It was a very scary time but it was nice to have some peace of mind that we had someone watching over him through it all.

"We definitely were able to take some strength from what we had seen in the photo."

She added: "Zoe is quite spiritual too and she couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the photo as she recognised it as her husband.

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"It all turned OK thankfully. Ever since he's been better, he's been wrapped in cotton wool. He's absolutely fine now thankfully.

"Doctors said they couldn't believe how quickly we had brought him and that if we'd taken any longer he would have been a lot worse.

"It was as if someone had pushed us to go. Obviously babies get ill and I would usually just have waited to see a doctor but it was as if someone was pushing us to go to the hospital.

"Both Dane and I had an intuition that we should go, particularly Dane. He said he felt we needed to go - and it's a good job we did.

"Even an hour later, the outcome could have been a whole lot different. It's like Ian is looking after his boys."

Now Vinnie is happy and healthy and is due to turn two in August - but Gemma still credits his grandad Ian for his help in getting the family through a difficult time.

She said: "After seeing Ian in the scan picture we wanted to name the baby after him so we called him Vinnie Ian. It's like he has a piece of Ian with him, if that makes sense.

"Vinnie came after I had had a miscarriage in 2015, so he is a rainbow baby.

"I believe that his grandad helped bring him to me - the picture looks like Ian is beside him bringing him to me.

"The picture is on my bedside table so I can see it every day."