A SELFLESS mum whose life was shattered when her baby died from cot death has made a fitting tribute to her son.

Sara Ward has turned her tragedy into triumph after raising money by holding a fun day to buy a breathing monitor for new born babies.

In a bid to spare others the anguish of losing a child to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, Sara is hoping to stage more events to raise awareness among parents.

Proceeds from the fun day brought in cash for the monitor, used in hospital's nationwide.

And a specially engraved plaque has been attached to the monitor with her son's name, Jacob, etched in silver, in his memory.

Sara said: "I hope parents who use this monitor will realise that it has been bought by a parent who has lost a child.

"No-one should have to go through what I went through. It was hell."

Sara, of Barlow Street, Horwich, remembers the day of her son's death very clearly: September 10, 1994.

She explained: "My husband just jumped out of bed on the Saturday morning and said that something was wrong.

"He went to the cot and Jacob was dead. He tried to resusitate him. I was screaming. But it was no good. The baby was rushed to hospital but there was nothing they could do."

Sara's other son Lewis, now aged nine, still suffers nightmares but the family say they have received a wealth of support from doctors, health visitors and CONI -- Care of the Next Infant group.

Felicity Over, who helps Bolton families who have experienced a cot death as part of CONI, said: "We rely on parents who have come through it to help us help others.

"Sara, and mums like her, are an important part of what we do.

"Cot death in this country is still the biggest killer of babies under one. We don't want to scare mothers, but do want to make them aware."

Sara, now 31, also has a daughter, Danielle, aged 4. She took over Horwich's British Legion Club, Emmett Street, in August for the fun day.

Sara added: "If it hadn't been for CONI's, having my daughter would have been a lot more traumatic than it was."

She added: "When you have another child after losing a baby, you are issued with a breathing monitor which sets off an alarm if your new infant stops breathing.

"It was the only thing that gave me peace of mind when I had Danielle. If I had not had it, then I would not have slept for six months."