THIS little boy looks the picture of health today - but only a few weeks ago, he was frighteningly poorly with life-threatening meningitis.

Now the family of little Jay Nutt, from Strensall, are putting something back into the intensive care ambulance they think could have saved his life.

His mum Louise, 30, said: "Without the ambulance, he might not be here today, as they have all the equipment you need in an intensive care unit. He got taken to the place where he needed to be. He was seriously ill for a few days.

"It was terrifying. As a parent, it's the worst nightmare, you can't imagine it."

Jay, who is nearly two, first fell ill in February while on a trip to the National Railway Museum, in York, to visit Thomas The Tank Engine.

He developed a temperature and that evening, his mum noticed bruises on his body. She performed the well-known glass test, pressing a tumbler on her son's rash.

When the marks did not fade, she realised he could have meningitis and took him straight to York Hospital's A&E department.

There, he was diagnosed with meningococcal septicaemia, and his family was told he needed to be transferred to intensive care at Sheffield Children's Hospital - where the nearest bed was available.

He was taken to Sheffield in a special intensive care ambulance where he was put on a ventilator. In hospital over the next week, he began to recover.

After two weeks at hospital in Sheffield and in York, he was finally allowed home, and his family hope he has had a lucky escape from possible after-effects of the illness.

Now they have decided to show their gratitude for the expert care their son received by raising money to fund a new intensive care ambulance - like the one which transported Jay at his hour of greatest need.

Louise said the ambulance served the whole of Yorkshire, but needed to be replaced because it often needed to be repaired.

Tomorrow, Jay's dad Dave will be pedalling his way from York to Scarborough to raise funds, along with his brother-in-law, Craig, and friend, James.

The following Saturday, April 21, the family are organising a charity knees-up at the British Sugar Factory's Sports and Social Club on Plantation Drive.

There will be a disco, food, games, raffle and auction. Guests are being charged £5 for a ticket.

Anyone interested in sponsoring or attending these events can phone Louise on 01904 492110.