The tragedy of a couple whose baby son was stillborn earlier this month has seen them raise thousands of pounds in his memory.

Joshua and Lauren Tyson made a decision that they hoped would help future parents.

The Egremont couple’s baby, Theo, had been delivered stillborn and they were spending precious time with him saying goodbye.

Joshua and Lauren were able to sit with their son as he lay in a specially designed “cuddle cot” which helped keep his body cool.

With only one such cot at the West Cumberland Hospital, the couple immediately launched an appeal and have already raised over £2,700. Each cot costs £1,000 and isn’t funded by the NHS.

Lauren’s pregnancy had been going well until, on June 4, she realised she couldn’t feel her baby move. Following a scan at the West Cumberland Hospital, the couple were told the devastating news that their baby’s heartbeat had stopped.

After an induced labour, Lauren gave birth to Theo on June 6.

Joshua said: “We didn’t know

what to expect, but he just looked like our boy. We held him for as long as we could and then we placed him in the cuddle cot. This allowed us such precious extra time with Theo, and gave family time to visit and see him.

“As we sat there looking at him, we decided other parents in our situation should have the opportunity to be able to say goodbye.

“We couldn’t help think that if, sadly, there was to be another family in the same situation on the ward then one set of parents would never get the opportunity we did to spend precious time with their child.”

The money will hopefully buy two to three cool cots.

An “unreal response” is how Joshua described the donations, including those from strangers from across the country who had also had stillborn babies.

Joshua said: “Our JustGiving page has already beaten the £1,000 target set. However, the fund also goes towards providing clothing for premature babies, to memory boxes and much more.”

They thanked midwives Sarah and Kerry, who were “amazing”, and to all those who donated.

The couple, who also have sons, Jacob, seven, and Ollie, three, held Theo’s funeral last Friday at St Mary’s and St Michael’s Church, in Egremont.

“You never expect it to happen to you,’’ Joshua added. “But by providing these cuddle cots we can help parents through the darkest of times.”

To donate go to www.just giving.com/crowdfunding/WCHbereavementfund