The mother of a boy who nearly died after being struck down with meningitis has praised hospital staff who helped him battle against the infection.

Lewis Evans, ten, lay motionless in the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU), at the John Radcliffe Hospital, in Headington, for ten days.

He was so ill that his mother, Marissa Barrett, 29, and father, Kieron Evans, had him christened in hospital, because doctors said there was little hope he would survive.

Although Lewis pulled through, he was re-admitted to PICU two months later. He was critically ill with breathing problems.

Now Miss Barrett, a school lunchtime supervisor, has expressed her thanks to staff at the unit and later this month will donate £550, which was raised at a family party and with a raffle.

She said: "The feelings you have are indescribable when your child is ill. It's only now that I look back and wonder how I coped. That's why I want to thank the PICU staff.

"They were hands-on all the time for the first ten days. They were brilliant."

Lewis, who lives in Derwent Avenue with his mother, her partner Philip Horwood, and their children Ellis, seven, and Keia, three, contracted meningitis in April last year.

Miss Barrett said: "He lay lifeless for ten days and just didn't move. Doctors said there wasn't much hope."

"He gradually came round and came home for eight weeks, but was rushed back in because the meningitis infection in his throat had been so bad that it fused his vocal chords together and he couldn't breath."

Headington Middle School pupil Lewis spent another three days in intensive care and had a tracheotomy -- a procedure where a tube is inserted into a patient's throat to bypass the blockage, allowing them to breathe normally.

His illness left him partially deaf and with minor breathing difficulties. He had to take a whole term off school and only returned to lessons last September.

PICU senior nurse Neila Chrisp said: "We're always extremely grateful for any donations. Money that we receive is spent on equipment for the unit or staff education and training."