A COUPLE who tragically lost their little boy as he awaited a heart transplant are expecting a child early in the new year.

Robert and Nicola Clark, whose son Euan died when he was only 18 months old, are expecting a little girl in February.

Ever since their tragic loss, the Clarks have been raising money for charity and their amazing efforts have collected almost £50,000.

They were touched when nursery children, including their son Lyle, who attends Lady Alice Nursery, helped raise £400 for Euan’s Cause – the charity they set up in memory of their son after his death four years ago.

Speaking to the Tele, Robert says the thoughtful gesture sets them up perfectly for an exciting 2017, as they launch a fresh fundraising drive, while also preparing to welcome a baby girl into the world.

Robert said: “It’s amazing that the nursery has raised this money for Euan’s Cause – it’s given us such a great boost.

“Our son Lyle goes to the nursery, so it was really lovely when the staff asked if they could raise the money for the charity.

“The nursery put posters up and it was a really special moment when Lyle pointed to the poster and said ‘that’s my big brother’.

“It meant so much to me and Nicola to know that Lyle recognises his big brother.

“Since Euan died we’ve raised over £48,000 and next year we’re going to pick up our fundraising again.

“We’re also very excited as Nicola is expecting in February.

“We didn’t really want Lyle to be an only child, so the fact that Nicola is expecting is very exciting and we’re really looking forward to it.”

The couple, who have recently moved from Gourock to Greenock, say they are ready to throw themselves into numerous fundraising activities in 2017.

Robert, 35, who is an IT manager at Cigna, said: “We’ve had a quiet year this year with not much fundraising, but we’re going to be back on it for 2017.

“We’re going to try and go bigger and better with some exciting events which we’ll announce soon.”

Baby Euan was born in 2012 with a rare condition called Hypoplastic Left Heart Syndrome, which meant that one side of his heart didn’t develop properly.

He had open heart surgery on several occasions, the first at just five days old.

Nicola and Robert were told that he would be suitable for a new heart and he was treated with special drugs in an attempt to prepare him for a transplant.

But he suffered a cardiac arrest and doctors were eventually unable to save him.

Nicola and Robert have used the pain of their awful ordeal as the motivation behind their fundraising campaign.

Robert added: “Euan would have been six in October.

“He was the bravest boy ever.”

Lynne Gallacher, a senior early years education and childcare officer at Lady Alice Nursery, says everyone there was delighted to raise money for such a worthwhile cause.

She said: “Obviously with Lyle being in the nursery, we wanted to do anything we could to support the charity.”

Children from the nursery and primary school gathered cash by hosting a Christmas sing-a-long in Tesco in Greenock and also held a collection at their nativity.

Robert and Nicola would also like to thank the 3rd Gourock Boys’ Brigade for contributing over £1,000 after hosting a quiz night and bag packing event.