Six-year-old boy with rare epilepsy given licence for cannabis oil treatment

A six-year-old boy with rare epilepsy has been issued a licence to use cannabis oil treatment.

The family of Alfie Dingley, from Kenilworth, Warwickshire, have been campaigning to use cannabis oil for months to help prevent his seizures.

They travelled to the Netherlands last September to try cannabis-based medication, and say they there was a noticeable improvement.

His mother, Hannah Deacon, was told by the Prime Minister in April that her application for a license to use the drug would be reviewed "speedily". She recently expressed frustration after not hearing back about the outcome.

• Watch the moment Alfie's mother discovered he could get cannabis oil treatment

The Home Secretary Sajid Javid today announced that he had authorised a licence to be issued for Alfie to used cannabis-based treatments.

In a statement to the House of Commons, he announced a review of the medicinal use of cannabis which could lead to patients in the UK being prescribed drugs derived from the banned plant.

It comes after a a series of appeals from parents who want their children to be able to access medications to help with epilepsy and other illnesses.

Mr Javid stressed that the class B drug would remain banned for recreational use.

Hannah Deacon spoke to ITV News and gave her emotional reaction to today's result: