A five-year-old boy who "died" for ten minutes after being left blind and dumb by meningitis has stunned medics by making a full recovery.

James Defries' astonishing fightback only began when despairing doctors allowed him to go home for a weekend with his family.

Medicine appeared to have failed the youngster, who was expected never to see or speak again. James had suffered four cardiac arrests, one of which stopped his heart for ten minutes.

He twice survived kidney failure and his mother Melanie, 29, was told he might not survive a 30-minute ambulance journey to the intensive care ward of a neighbouring hospital.

They were advised to say their goodbyes, but refused to give up on James while there was still hope.

Against the odds, he pulled back from the brink of death, but was still gravely ill. He could only be fed through tubes and could not move, see or speak.

After two months in Sunderland Royal Hospital, with little hope of improvement, Melanie asked to take him home and his doctors reluctantly agreed.

The transformation was staggering. After just two days of love and attention from Melanie and his big sister Carrie, 11, James was able to sit up and was taking an interest in his surroundings.

Staff at the hospital were so impressed that they agreed to discharge him immediately.

Now, less than a year after he was struck down, James has regained his sight and power of speech, thanks to the love of his family.

He races around outside his home in Hendon, Sunderland, with his friends and shows little sign of the desperate battle for life he faced less than 12 months ago.

Melanie said: "It is an absolute miracle that James has come back the way he has. We thought we had lost him completely.

"It was wonderful when I realised he could see again - it was the start on the long road to recovery."

Now, amazed doctors in Sunderland and Newcastle are closely monitoring the youngster's progress.

James's next big moment comes next month, when he starts school.