A mum is urging pregnant women to take up the RSV vaccine being rolled out nationwide this week - after her newborn nearly died when he caught the virus.

Ethyan Gammage was rushed to hospital after becoming "grey, cold and lifeless" and mum Fiona Walker, 41, feared he was dead."

He was diagnosed with bronchiolitis, caused by the human respiratory syncytial virus (RSV).

The premature baby was put into an induced coma and a ventilator in the NICU, and fought for his life - eventually being discharged after two long weeks in hospital.

RSV is common in adults and presents as a mild flu, but it can be deadly in newborns and the elderly.

The vaccine was rolled out from yesterday (1) across the UK to those aged 75+ and pregnant women of any age who are over 28 weeks, to help protect their newborn babies.

Ethyan lives in Scotland which began vaccinating pregnant women against the virus in August this year.

But because he was born six weeks prematurely, in June - he missed that deadline.

She is now urging pregnant women to take up the vaccine - so nobody else goes through what she did.

Pub landlady Fiona, from Larkhall, Lanarkshire, said: "I had never even heard of RSV before Ethyan got it."

"Now I don't let him out of my sight and I constantly put my hand on him to check he's warm because I remember how cold he felt."

"It's completely traumatised us."

"I want to raise awareness of RSV and of the vaccine because I'd never want any other mother to go through what I went through."

"I have a phobia of needles but I'd still get the vaccine - and everyone else should too."

Ethyan was born six weeks premature on June 27, weighing 4lbs 7oz, just a month before the RSV vaccine was rolled out to pregnant women in Scotland.

But on July 12 Fiona noticed him getting a cold and cough and he was checked by a doctor.

His stats were ok, and they went home, but by 3pm his breathing became irregular.

Panicked Fiona and partner Mark Gammage, 44, called 999 and an ambulance came within 17 minutes.

During that time the tot had become unresponsive - and was "cold and grey"."

Fiona said: "Mark was prodding and tickling him but we got no reaction at all."

"I felt sick. I felt totally helpless."

Paramedics administered oxygen in the home before blue-lighting the tot to University Hospital Wishaw.

After two stable nights in hospital, Ethyan's tiny body started struggling to continue fighting the infection.

At Royal Hospital for Children in Glasgow he was put into an induced coma and a ventilator in the NICU.

Fiona said: "I was worried sick - he was wired up to so many machines for so many different things."

"People kept reassuring me but I didn't believe them - they must have got sick of me asking so many questions."

After three days Ethyan began to manage a few breaths on his own, which increased each day as he got stronger.

He eventually started taking his bottle again, and was discharged on July 22.

Fiona said after the scare Ethyan has been "absolutely perfect" but she and Mark have been left with symptoms of PTSD."

She's now encouraging all expectant mums to get the vaccine to keep their little ones safe.

She said: "If my story helps even one person decide to get the injection, then I want to put it out there."