Ex-Towie star Lucy Mecklenburgh thanks NHS for saving son Roman

Former The Only Way is Essex reality star Lucy Mecklenburgh has thanked two hospitals for saving her 18-month-old son, who she found "blue" in his cot.

He was taken to Basildon Hospital last week and then transferred to St Mary's Hospital in London.

Mecklenburgh, 30, described it as "every parent's worst nightmare", but said Roman was now home and recovering.

She and her partner, former Coronation Street actor Ryan Thomas, were "eternally grateful", she said.

Posting on Instagram, Mecklenburgh wrote: "Just over a week ago I found Roman blue in his cot - probably every parent's worst nightmare. Without going into too much detail it ended up with Roman being transferred to St Mary's London intensive care being put on a ventilator.

"Thankfully we are now all home and Roman is back to his cheeky self."

Thomas said: "As parents it's been one of the scariest times of our lives but with thanks to our amazing doctors & nurses we have king Roman back playing, smiling & more importantly eating, I would like to thank the NHS and also cosmic charity who have been unbelievable."

Mecklenburgh thanked the ambulance staff, both hospitals, and the charity Cosmic, which cares for babies and young children in intensive care.

"Although mentally we as a family may never fully recover, we feel extremely blessed to have our special boy home in our arms and it has truly opened our eyes to all the hardworking superheroes working in our hospitals who dedicate their lives to helping others and how extremely lucky we are to have these incredible medical services free for us all in the UK," she wrote.

"Thank you NHS and all the charities that support the NHS."

Ryan Thomas won Celebrity Big Brother in 2018

The reality star said she wanted to help with a new children's garden area at the hospital in Basildon, as "it's unusable at the moment and I know it would bring so much joy to children on the wards".

Mecklenburgh said she was also fundraising for the Cosmic charity.