"HE SAVED my life".

Those are the words of a mum-of-four who owes a huge debt of gratitude to a Hampshire doctor and his team.

Melanie Smart had doctors at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital in Winchester to thank when she suffered a Amniotic Fluid Embolism just hours after he delivered her fourth child Madeleine.

In October 2006, the 49-year-old who was living Chandler’s Ford at the time, needed life saving surgery which lasted six hours.

A one point there were 19 medical staff surrounding her and she was put in a medically induced coma for three days and it was the quick thinking and work of consultant obstetrician & gynaecologist Dr Martyn Pitman and his team kept her stable.

She also thanked blood donors, as she required the equivalent amount of 28 donations in blood to keep her alive.

Each year Melanie emails Dr Pitman a picture of Madeleine who is now 10 on her birthday and thanks him.

But this year Melanie who is now living in Devon and Madeleine decided to go even further and came back to the place where Madeleine was delivered to see Dr Pitman in person.

Remembering what happened ten years earlier Melanie said: “They were amazing.

"I had seen Dr Pitman in my natal appointment and he delivered Madeleine.

"It was not until two hours after she was born I became ill and I was going in and out of consciousness.

Daily Echo:

PICTURED: Melanie Smart (left) with Madeleine and Dr Pitman at the Royal Hampshire County Hospital

“I noticed he was in the room with me and I knew he was there and I would be alright.”

“At every single stage the staff that looked after me were just unbelievable, just from every single step Martyn Pitman and Gary Dickenson they always seemed to be at the side of my bed when I came round, everybody was kind and helpful.

“You go in to have a baby, having had three already you do not expect anything dramatic to happen, they dealt so well with the emotional side and helping me and the physical side.”

After Madeleine was born, Melanie insisted that she should let Dr Pitman know each year how she is getting on, and Madeleine herself had always wanted to meet the man who was in charge of the team that saved her life.

The reunion itself was understandably emotional with Madeleine lost for words when she met Dr Pitman.

Explaining the moment when they saw him ten years on Melanie said: “You can’t explain how you feel to someone that has saved your life.

"It is so monumental but so basic it is the fundamental part of my existence.

"Him and his team got me through something which in all reality I should not have survived.

“I was quite nervous about going back in - I thought I would get flashbacks but I did not remember anything.

“When Martyn came down it was like seeing a lovely old friend and a superhero.

“Madeleine had spent the whole week that she was going to meet the man that delivered him and save her mum’s life she was so excited about it and they had a big hug and he was just wonderful with her.

“It was an emotional day, and I am desperate for them to know how much they all mean to me.

"Madeleine is healthy and happy and loving life and I wanted them to see the proof of what they did.”