Just 36 hours after Lawrence Kingston was born, an infection set in causing him to collapse and stop breathing.

He was rushed to York District Hospital where he was resuscitated before being taken to the paediatric wing.

While parents Roger and Genevieve Kingston, of Warthill, endured an anxious wait, Lawrence was then transferred to Leeds General Infirmary where he spent a further 10 days being looked after in a specialist paediatric intensive care unit.

The couple was told that without such specialist care, their son could have died.

Now, just over a year later, Lawrence has made a full recovery but his parents have never forgotten how close he came to death.

Roger said: “Our son lived thanks to the fantastic care he received from the medical teams in York and Leeds, but it could have been so different had a paediatric intensive bed not been available.

“Before this we would never have thought that this could happen to our family, but it did. We were lucky – he is alive and well. However, there is always the risk that others may not be so fortunate.”

Roger and Genevieve are showing their gratitude to the medical teams who saved their son by supporting the Guardian Angels Appeal which aims to raise £500,000 to build, equip and run a two-bed paediatric high dependency unit at York Hospital.

They approached Saleem Acktar, owner of the Jinnah chain of restaurants, who agreed to hold a fundraising dinner and auction for the appeal at the Jinnah Indian Restaurant alongside the A64 Malton to York road at Flaxton.

It is being held next Tuesday at 7pm with the dress code black tie or traditional Indian dress.

Roger said: “Saleem is hoping that the event will feature a well-known celebrity to help boost the appeal. I'm hopeful we will be well-supported so we can raise as much money as possible.”

Roger said the new paediatric unit would serve Ryedale as well as York and added: “Having two high dependency beds in York will make such a difference because presently children can be taken as far away as Plymouth for the care they need.”

Tickets costing £16 for the dinner can be reserved by calling the Jinnah on (01904) 468202 or 468877.