'Happiest baby you will ever meet' finally out of hospital

Bertie's thriving after 5 operations

- BY STORM NEWTON

A LITTLE boy who has spent most of his life in hospital is home for Christmas after finally being discharged.

Bertie Melly weighed 1lb 10oz when he was born prematurely at 24 weeks last May. In his short life he has had five operations to treat a potentially life-threatening illness affecting his intestines.

Having spent 547 days in hospital, 19-month-old Bertie is now at home with his parents, Phoebe and Callum, who called him the “happiest child you will ever meet”.

Bertie was diagnosed with necrotising enterocolitis, a serious condition that causes tissue in the intestines to become inflamed and start to die.