Exclusive by JANE FIELD

A WARRINGTON mum has had parts of her baby's organs returned from Alder Hey hospital - contrary to government guidelines - because of the stress she has endured.

Val Nicholls, aged 38, of Barrowhall Lane, Great Sankey, lost her four-month-old son Anthony 16 years ago to what was thought to be cot death.

Now, after all this time, she has been given 27 blocks and slides of her baby boy which she is keeping in a casket at home until she has all parts returned. The hospital has admitted that there is still a slide of his brain missing - but Val believes whole organs were removed.

"I have been advised not to bury them or I will face multiple funerals," she said.

"It is devasting. I buried Anthony 16 years ago and did not expect to have to do it again, especially after all this time.

"For months and months I was told by Alder Hey that they had nothing. But after all that fighting the battle is still not over."

Val has dedicated her life to uncovering the truth and has, she claims, discovered discrepancies in various reports which she eventually got hold of from the hospital, including the time of death, cause of death and treatment of the child.

Though the coroner said Anthony had been a victim of cot death, Val was never satisfied with the verdict and is waiting for a date for a second inquest to establish the truth.

A statement from the Department of Health said: "Many Alder Hey parents have been in touch with the Trust for some time and where the risk of harm for further delay is judged to be greater than the likelihood of further organs or tissues being found, the Retained Organs Commission is prepared to authorise the return of material for a proper funeral.

"Because of the risk that information may not be complete, the Commission is prepared to do this in exceptional circumstances where it is recognised that sometimes parents find the stress of delay unbearable."