Archie Battersbee's parents appeal to Health Secretary

Archie Battersbee suffered brain damage in an incident at home on 7 April and has not regained consciousness

Archie Battersbee's parents have appealed to the Health Secretary to prevent his life support treatment from being withdrawn "as early as Monday".

The 12-year-old was found unconscious at home in Southend, Essex, on 7 April.

The United Nations has requested his treatment continues while it considers a "last ditch" application from Archie's family.

On Monday, Appeal Court judges ruled that doctors could lawfully disconnect his ventilator.

Archie has never regained consciousness and his mother Hollie Dance said she believed he might have been taking part in an online challenge.

She has written to Stephen Barclay, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, explaining the trust intends to "proceed to remove life support from Archie as early as on Monday 1 August".

"If this happens, this will be an extraordinary cruelty, and a flagrant breach of Archie's rights as a disabled person," she said.

"Archie is entitled to have the decisions about his life and death, taken by the NHS and UK courts, to be scrutinised by an international human rights body."

A Department for Health and Social Care spokeswoman said: "We recognise this is an exceptionally difficult time for Archie Battersbee's family and our thoughts are with them.

"We have received the letter and will respond in due course."

Hollie Dance with her son Archie

Ms Dance and Archie's father Paul Battersbee, made an application to the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons With Disabilities (UNRPD) when their UK legal challenge failed.

In a letter, the chief of the UN's Human Rights Treaties Branch, Ibrahim Salama, said it had "requested the state party (the government) to refrain from withdrawing life-preserving medical treatment, including mechanical ventilation and artificial nutrition and hydration, from the alleged victim while the case is under consideration by the committee".

As the UK had joined the optional protocol to the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities, the UN was able to ask the government to delay the withdrawal of life support while a complaint was investigated, Christian Concern said.

Ms Dance has asked Mr Barclay to "act immediately" to ensure Archie's life support is not withdrawn "and our country honours its obligations under the international human rights treaties which we have signed and ratified".

Doctors treating Archie at the Royal London Hospital, run by Barts NHS Health Trust, have said he is brain-stem dead and continued life-support treatment was not in his best interests.

Alistair Chesser, chief medical officer for Barts Health NHS Trust said: "Our deepest sympathies are with Archie's family at this difficult time.

"We are giving Archie's loved ones time to come to terms with the decision of the courts that treatment should not continue and are involving them in each stage.

"Any further delay in starting palliative care would not be appropriate without an order of the court."