A BOY has returned to the hospital that saved his life to say thank you.

Lewis Coverley, 13, underwent bowel surgery at Royal Blackburn Hospital five years ago.

Then eight-years-old, Lewis, from Grantham, Lincolnshire, was visiting Blackburn with his family for a school table tennis tournament.

His mum Paula Coverley, 34, said: “He was poorly on the Friday before he came up, but the doctor thought it was a tummy bug and he would be okay to play in the competition.

“But when he came here he was taken far worse.”

Dad Brian, 40, said his son was in such agony that he ran himself a bath at midnight in the hotel where they were staying to try and relieve the pain.

He said: “We went to the school on the Sunday, but he couldn't even stand up.”

Doctors at the hospital soon realised how serious Lewis' condition really was.

Six months earlier his appendix had been removed. The appendix scar tissue had grown back, and wrapped itself around his intestines. He needed immediate surgery.

Paula said: “I just remember them saying 'we don't know what the outcome will be, it's very serious'. I just went blank.

“If it wasn't for the care he got here, he might not be here now.

“Back home they thought it was a tummy bug, so it was definitely fate.”

Lewis spent two months in a wheelchair after the surgery and took nearly six months to fully recover.

But since he has confounded doctor's expectations by becoming an avid sportsman and competing at both county and national level in gymnastics.

He was given the iPod he handed to the children as a reward for 'pride points' earned through hard work at school.

Lewis put songs on the music player with the help of his brother Dale, 15, and bought a docking station plus chocolates to say thank you for all the care he received in Blackburn.

He said: “I was thinking about people who have helped me while I've been growing up, and thinking about the hospital here that saved me.”

Sarah Caton, children's ward manager, said: “The ward is very grateful for any donations and we are really grateful to Lewis and his family for doing this."