Alfie's parents hoping to win appeal court fight

The parents of a 21-month-old boy are waiting to see if they have won the latest stage of a life-support treatment fight.

A High Court judge has ruled that doctors can stop treating Alfie Evans, against the wishes of his parents Kate James and Tom Evans.

Three Court of Appeal judges are due to give their verdict on Tuesday.

Judges have heard that Alfie, who was born on May 9 2016, was in a "semi-vegetative state" and had a degenerative neurological condition doctors had not definitively diagnosed.

Mr Justice Hayden had analysed the case at hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London and Liverpool.

Specialists at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool said life-support treatment could stop and the judge said he accepted medical evidence which showed that further treatment was futile.

Alfie's parents, who are both in their 20s, have challenged Mr Justice Hayden's ruling and asked the Court of Appeal to consider the case.

Lord Justice McFarlane, Lord Justice McCombe and Lady Justice King considered issues at a Court of Appeal hearing in London on Thursday.

Barrister Stephen Knafler QC, who is leading Alfie's parents' legal team, said "the State" had wrongly interfered with "parental choice".

He said Alfie's parents wanted to move him to a hospital in Europe but Mr Justice Hayden's ruling had prevented them from doing that.