A LITTLE boy whose heart stopped beating is now a picture of health thanks to a life-saving Glasgow service.

Ryan Matheson's parents Claire and Neil were told by doctors to prepare for the worst after the four-year-old picked up a serious infection which developed into blood poisoning.

He was rushed to Wishaw General Hospital in Lanarkshire, but his body began to fail. There was only one service that could save his life but it was 19 miles away.

Ryan was taken to Glasgow's Yorkhill hospital, which houses Scotland's only 'Ecmo' service for children.

The machines replace the function of the heart and lungs, giving medics a vital window of opportunity to treat patients who are seriously ill.

There were fears that Ryan might not survive the journey from Wishaw to Glasgow, but he fought hard and after receiving the specialist treatment, he went on to make a full recovery.

He has now just started school.

Ryan, from Wishaw, will be among the children featured in a new documentary on BBC Alba about the Scottish National Paediatric Retrieval Service, which transfers critically ill children from all over the country to Yorkhill and the children's hospital in Edinburgh.

Claire, 39, said: "It's one of those things you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. It was as bad as it gets.

"Ryan took not well in January.

"He had been to the doctor and I was just giving him Calpol but he just got worse and was struggling to breathe.

"I rushed him to the doctors and they took him straight to Wishaw General.

"The consultant came to see us to tell us how sick he was. That's when we knew how bad it was. His heart stopped beating at one point.

"If he hadn't been transferred to Yorkhill he wouldn't be here today. We are so grateful to the entire team of NHS staff who saved his life."

The Scottish National Paediatric Retrieval Service uses ambulances, helicopters and planes to reach referring units in all areas of Scotland as quickly as possible.

Ryan's story features on tonight's episode of Cobhair Chloinne at 8.30pm on BBC Alba.

caroline.wilson@eveningtimes.co.uk