Rob Harcourt's family will name unborn child after him after he died in freak trampoline accident

The partner of a Stockton man who died in a trampoline accident has said she will name their baby after him.

Rob Harcourt was left paralysed from the chest down after dislocating his neck and kinking his spinal cord at a friend's house last July and later died.

His partner Jade Higgins, 30, who is currently 17 weeks pregnant, has revealed she is expecting a baby boy, who will be named Robert Jackson John.

Ms Higgins announced her pregnancy a few weeks after Mr Harcourt died. The baby will be the couple's first child together.

Mr Harcourt's mum, Jackie Graves, said: "At Jade's latest appointment the midwives told us that everything was going well and he's developing as normal - he is a little ray of sunshine in the darkness.

"When they revealed that he was a boy I cried and I cried because I know Rob had wanted another son.

"Rob's death has been a huge blow to the family but their news has given them hope and something to focus on."

She continued: "Jade and Rob had chosen his name just before the accident had happened.

"He'll be named Robert after his father, Jackson after me, and John after my brother.

"It truly was a bittersweet moment, this has been the most emotional time of my life. I feel like my world has ended and yet the baby is my reason for living.

"He is a little blessing in more ways than one."

The scaffolder suffered catastrophic injuries in the fall and was treated in intensive care at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough but suffered a cardiac arrest and doctors found fluid in his brain.

After being taken off sedation following surgery, Mr Harcourt was able to move his eyes but was unable to wake up.

He died on Tuesday 30 August.