Disabled Charlotte to be fostered

Charlotte was only as long as a ballpoint pen when she was born

A severely disabled child, whose family fought a long legal battle for her right to live, may be fostered because her parents have split up.

Charlotte Wyatt, two, of Portsmouth, was born three months prematurely with serious brain, lung and kidney damage.

Her parents Darren, 34, and Debbie, 25, won a High Court battle to force doctors to resuscitate her.

Her father said: "Social services are now looking for a foster home but finding someone will be very hard."

Charlotte, who celebrates her third birthday on Saturday, is continuing to be treated at St Mary's Hospital in Portsmouth.

I want her to be fostered near me so I can visit her every day Darren Wyatt

She weighed just 1lb (0.45kg) when she was born.

Mr Wyatt said: "Charlotte has been well enough to leave hospital for a while now. I would take her if I had all the right support.

"The doctors say it would be too much for me and social services can't offer me the care package I need.

"I would need carers coming in during the day while I work and then to help me put her to bed."

'Doing really well'

Charlotte is recovering from a life-threatening viral lung infection, which she caught in February.

Her treatment, estimated to cost about £300 a day, is thought to have come to about £1.1m so far.

Mr Wyatt added: "I visit Charlotte almost every day. She is doing really, really well, totally the opposite to the way she was last year.

"I want her to be fostered near me so I can visit her every day."

Stuart Gallimore, of Portsmouth City Council, said: "We are continuing to work with the family to ensure the best possible outcome for Charlotte but it is not appropriate for us to comment further on the details of this case."