HARVEY'S HALLELUJAH

Boy's tears of joy as Sturgeon tells him he'll get date for vital op next week after he challenged her over NHS waiting list

- VIVIENNE AITKEN

NICOLA Sturgeon has stepped in to sort out a wee boy's operation after a heartbreaking video plea.

Harvey Martin, nine, recorded the video message to Sturgeon earlier this week begging her to sort out the NHS so he could get an op to end his pain because he "can't take it any more".

And yesterday, in her final appearance at Holyrood, Sturgeon said she acted after reading his story and that he would be getting a date for his surgery next week.

After hearing the news yesterday, Harvey burst into tears and shouted: "Hallelujah." Harvey suffers from an agonising curvature on his spine which requires immediate medical intervention as his ribcage slowly crushes his organs..

However, he was told by his doctors that he would have to wait months for treatment due to lengthy waiting lists.

He has already waited since August last year for the operation to straighten his spine which his parents were initially told should be carried out within six weeks.

But after the Daily Record reported his plea on Wednesday, Sturgeon stepped in.