Judges rule Archie will die today but his mother vows to fight to the end

THE mother of Archie Battersbee said she will fight a decision to withdraw his life support after judges yesterday rejected a last-minute appeal.

- Sarah O’Grady

Archie, 12, is now due to have his treatment switched off today, any time from 12 pm – a decision his mother called an “execution”.

Doctors at the Royal London Hospital were due to turn off his ventilator at 2 pm yesterday, but a UN committee asked the Government to intervene until it considered his case.

But after an emergency online hearing yesterday, Archie’s parents Hollie Dance and Paul Battersbee were told their last-ditch attempt to prolong their son’s life had failed.

Traumatised

Speaking outside the Royal London Hospital, Hollie said: “We made a promise to Archie, we will fight to the end. And Archie’s still fighting.

“If tomorrow’s the last day then so be it, but we will be applying to the Supreme Court.

“I’ve got my son’s best interests at heart. Archie’s best interests would be to allow that child time to recover.