Vatican hospital offers to take in Charlie Gard

The Vatican's children's hospital has offered to take in terminally-ill Charlie Gard after hearing of his plight.

Earlier this week the Pope called for Charlie's parents Chris Gard and Connie Yates to be allowed to "accompany their child until the end".

It comes after the couple exhausted all avenues in their legal battle to be able to take their son to America for experimental treatment.

But Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson has insisted that any decisions around Charlie's situation should "continued to be led by expert medical opinion, supported by the courts".

And Theresa May insisted she was "confident" that Great Ormond Street Hospital "have and always will consider any offers or new information that has come forward with consideration of the well-being of a desperately ill child".

Charlie has a rare genetic condition and brain damage.

The president of the Bambino Gesu hospital in Rome, Mariella Enoc, had asked Great Ormond Street if Charlie could be transferred.

"I was contacted by the mother, who is a very determined and decisive person and doesn't want to be stopped by anything," Ms Enoc said.

Great Ormond Street responded saying Charlie cannot be moved for legal reasons.

His parents, both in their 30s and from Bedfont, west London, are now spending the last days of their 10-month-old son's life with him, after being given more time before his life-support is turned off.

Charlie suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage.

The High Court considered evidence from a specialist who would oversee any treatment Charlie had at a hospital in the US.

The specialist, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said therapy would provide a "small chance" of a meaningful improvement in Charlie's brain function.

Charlie's plight has touched people around the world and the family have received donations totalling more than £1.3 million to take him to the US for therapy.

It even caught the attention of US President Donald trump who tweeted: "If we can help little #CharlieGard, as per our friends in the U.K. and the Pope, we would be delighted to do so."