ALFIE Evans' dad has said he still wants to take his gravely ill son to Italy.

Heartbroken Tom Evans today vowed to continue the fight to release Alfie from hospital despite yesterday's court blow.

He said the 23-month-old tot has been "sustaining life like any other kid for the past 36 hours" since his life support was switched off.

Alfie's parents said they have been giving him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation in a desperate bid to keep him alive after The High Court ruled he cannot leave hospital yesterday.

They will today launch a last ditch court bid to gain permission to take their son to Italy for treatment.

Speaking outside Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool, Tom told This Morning: "He's fighting.

"He hasn't had any sign of pain and sustaining life like any other kid for the past 36 hours. It's totally unexpected.

"I believe I am getting closer to getting him home.

"We would be happy with that but be more blessed to get him to Italy."

Alfie's battling parents have vowed to challenge yesterday's ruling in the Court of Appeal today.

A spokesman for the Christian Legal Centre representing the family said that the case will be heard at 2pm.

Tom, 21, added: "The court of appeal have reached out to us and said they are going to set back three judges to hear the case.
"In reality, he could be in Italy right now. We all know the military air force are ready to take him and a team of doctors are there.

"We've also got a German air ambulance team, who attempted to take him in the first place, ready.

"The reality is these people are eager to get him out of the country and I'm not giving up because Alfie's breathing away, he's not suffering."

Last night Tom and Alfie's mum Kate James have been forced to help the critically ill tot's breathing after "his lips turned blue".

Speaking outside hospital, heartbroken Tom added: "We were doing what a nurse should have been doing to sustain his life.

“Now they are saying that he looks really good but we all know he should be in Italy right now.”

A High Court judge yesterday made the devastating call to reject a last-ditch attempt to take Alfie abroad — but asked doctors if it is possible to consider letting the 23-month-old tot go home.

Responding, a weary Tom said: "I’ve got an uncle that could just do everything that the nurses do down to a tee and he’s medically trained to do this so I’m just going to keep on fighting for Alfie".

Piers Morgan urged the authorities to allow the tot's parents to release him from hospital to spend his final hours at home.

The Good Morning Britain presenter tweeted: "At least let his parents take him home to die, for goodness sake. He's THEIR little boy, nobody else's. #AlfieEvans"

Actress Kym Marsh added: “Praying hard for #alfieevans right now. Keep fighting little man.”

Alfie's parents have been embroiled in a lengthy battle for their son - who suffers from an unknown degenerative brain condition - to continue receiving treatment.

He has been in a "semi-vegetative state" for more than a year and is currently only receiving oxygen after being taken off life support last night.

Doctors argued that it was in Alfie's best interest to end his life support — a view consistently backed by the courts.

Yesterday Mr Justice Hayden described Alfie as "a fighter" as he raised the possibility of allowing the tot home or to a hospice for parents Tom Evans and Kate James to be with him in his final days.

He told the emergency High Court hearing in Manchester: "If there were a more constructive attitude from the family might other options become possible, away from Alder Hey?", adding that taking Alfie home had been suggested.

But a doctor replied that there was a "genuine fear" among hospital staff of angry demonstrators supporting Alfie's family — adding it could take three to five days to put a plan in place.

On "courageous" Alfie's future care, Mr Justice Hayden added that options will be discussed with his parents "with the objective of promoting a removal from hospital if possible."

A plane had been put on standby to fly Alfie to Rome for treatment at the Bambino Gesu Children’s Hospital after Pope Francis last week lent his support to the child's desperate family.

But the judge branded Italy’s efforts to grant Alfie Italian citizenship to see him taken abroad as "disrespectful the principles of international diplomacy" .

And he slammed some supporters of Alfie’s parents - who were not in court - for giving them "misleading" advice that he said had damaged their relationship with the hospital.

There have been angry demonstrations and attempts to storm the hospital over recent days as Alfie's case makes its through the courts.

Mr Justice Hayden branded one man a "fanatic" who believed he knew better than the law — and warned the demonstrator had come "perilously" close to being held in contempt of court.

Alfie's life support was switched off after the European Court of Human Rights refused to intervene in the case.

But medics were left "gobsmacked" that the sick tot had continued to breathe for a further 19 hours before he was put on oxygen yesterday.

Alder Hey insisted during yesterday's hearing that doctors had explained that he could survive for hours or even days after his ventilator was withdrawn.

Refusing to accept the case for changing Alfie’s care plan, Mr Justice Hayden said: “There is capacity for something of his brain stem to generate breathing.

“But there is no sense of touch or taste or hearing and the brain remains predominantly water.”

Paul Diamond, representing Alfie's family, argued that it was not in Alfie's best interests to be left at Alder Hey.

He said Alfie should be flown abroad — with an air ambulance gifted by the Italian government ready to take him.

But frustrated at the emotive language used in court by the Evans' barrister, Mr Justice Hayden said: "You do not have the moral high ground in this court".

Responding to the ruling, Alder Hey said: "This evening the High Court again ruled that it is in Alfie's best interests to continue with the end of life care plan developed by the clinical team who have cared for him throughout.

"Our top priority therefore remains in ensuring Alfie receives the care he deserves to ensure his comfort, dignity and privacy are maintained throughout.

"This includes working closely with Kate and Tom as they spend this precious time together with him.

"We would be grateful if respect and consideration is shown to all our staff, patients and families at the hospital at this difficult time."

Yesterday had been seen as a glimmer of hope for the tot's family after they lost their last appeal at the High Court on Monday.

A spokesperson for the Christian Legal Centre, which has been assisting parents Tom and Kate, said: "Alfie has survived much longer than the doctors predicted, lending support to the request from Alfie's parents for Alfie to be seen by medical experts in Italy."

Dad Tom, 21, said yesterday morning his son is still breathing and fighting against all odds, telling Good Morning Britain: "He is still working, he's doing as good as he can."

The family desperately asked for prayers of support, saying: "Nearly 19 hours breathing on his own with just oxygen and water. Please please please continue to pray!!"

This judge are worse than animal, but what to expect from a person who believes in children born from a homosexual relationship.