A LAST ditch double transplant has saved the life of a desperately sick little boy.

Without the liver and small bowel operation three-year-old James Bartlett had just a few days to live.

The delicate and extremely rare right-saving operation was carried out at Birmingham Children's Hospital, and now mum and dad Jane and Charles, who live at Alpraham, are praying there will be no complications.

James was diagnosed with an spinal condition so serious that in although he was given only three to six months to live.

His parents did not realise how close he was to death until a consultant at the hospital told them, after his operation, that there would have been only a few days left.

When the call that Jane and Charles had been hoping for came in the early hours of the morning, they were told a suitable liver and small bowel had been found following the death of another young child.

Charles said: 'We were told the operation would take between 12 and 17 hours and after a chest X-ray which James described as fun, there was a long wait after he had been taken into theatre.'

That evening they were told all was well, and were able to see their son.

It's a far cry from Christmas, which his mum and dad feared would be his last.

Charles said: 'Friends helped us make Christmas a great time for James. One of them, as Santa, arrived with heaps of presents and although James enjoyed himself he was obviously not well.' Even two blood transfusions within a few days of each other did not seem to be keeping his red cell count high enough.

Added Charles: 'Then on January 11 came the call we had been praying for.

'The call came at 1am, but we certainly did not mind being awoken with such wonderful news. 'We got James to the Birmingham Children's Hospital by 3.30am and the team started work immediately.

'We were told at 4pm that the operation had been completed. An hour later they said James had been transferred into intensive care, but was all right. At 6pm we were told that everything was proceeding well, and finally at 8pm, after no end of tea and coffee, we were told we could see him.

'Although James' body was littered with wires and things, we had seen that all before when he was first taken ill and although it was not nice to see we were so thrilled that the operation had been a success - yet sad that another child had died to give James this chance.'

When all seemed to be going well a shock was in store. A week later the doctors discovered the new liver was not working properly.

But after biopsies on James' liver and small bowel, he rallied and became stronger again.

Physiotherapists were keen to get him mobile again after his many days of inactivity, and after their manipulations James suddenly announced: 'Look, my legs are working!'

Charles said: 'The experts had told us that January 24 was supposed to be the most depressing day of the year. But it certainly did not turn out that way.

'James, once his legs were working, stood up and then did a little dance.

'And not satisfied that this was enough progress for one day, announced he would like some ham sandwiches for lunch. This was followed by Marmite on toast for tea!

'That was a wonderful moment, because before his illness James had a marvellous appetite and liked nothing better than popping for a pub meal with Jane and me.'

Since then, James has been tucking into beans and sausage and chicken nuggets, and the latest bulletin, two days ago was that he was doing exceptionally well.

Charles said: 'We thank everyone, especially the staff at the hospital, and the family of the donor, who we don't know, for all they have done for James.'