Alfie Evans' father apologises after reports of intimidation and abuse from hospital protesters

'We just wanted to take our son to give him the chance he deserves,' toddler's father Tom says in Facebook message

Alder Hey children’s hospital employed extra security personnel due to the protests (PA)

The parents of seriously ill toddler Alfie Evans have apologised after reports of verbal abuse and intimidation from demonstrators outside the hospital where he is on life support.

Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, will make a further appeal to the Supreme Court asking to overturn the ruling to switch off his life support.

They want their son, who has a rare degenerative brain disease, to be moved from Alder Hey hospital in their home city of Liverpool to one in Rome, where they hope to continue his treatment.

But their legal appeals for the right to do so have not been successful so far.

The couple said doctors at Alder Hey have refused to let them discharge their son, who has been a patient at the hospital since April 2016.

But they have already lost appeals in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court, and European Court of Human Rights where judges have heard the toddler is in a “semi-vegetative state” and more treatment would be futile.

Earlier this week, judges ruled the parents could not take Alfie abroad to receive treatment and refused to overturn a decision to allow doctors to end Alfie’s life support.

This sparked protests and people assembled outside Alder Hey to show their support for the young family.

As a result, the hospital was forced to employ extra security personnel. It also claimed that noise from demonstrators outside the building on Sunday night disrupted other young patients.

It also called on protesters to keep the noise down and said that car horns and other disturbances had led to anxiety among patients.

As 100 supporters assembled outside on Sunday night, one hospital visitor described the protest as “out of control” and similar to “a circus”. She said there was a bouncy castle, people drinking alcohol, and “children running everywhere”.

Another patient’s relative, who did not want to be named, told BBC Radio Merseyside that visiting Alder Hey was “intimidating and scary”.

She said she heard chants of “burn it down” from protesters which she believed was “taking it too far”.

Mr Evans released an apology on Facebook. He said: "Deepest apologies from me and Kate James to the parents and staff effected by the protest/demonstration, it wasn't mine Kate's or anyone else intention to harm or cause conflict or upset.

"We just wanted to take our son to give him the chance he deserves."

Merseyside Police said they were investigating after reports of "instances of verbal abuse and acts of intimidation".

Chief Inspector Chris Gibson said officers "recognise the sensitivities involved in this very difficult and sad situation".

He added: "Whilst many people have gathered to protest in a peaceful way, Merseyside Police is now investigating a small number of reports, some of which originate from social media, as well as instances of verbal abuse and acts of intimidation from those outside the hospital. This is extremely unhelpful for all concerned and we are investigating further to establish the full circumstances.

“We would like to remind the public that this is a hospital for sick children and it should not be forgotten that many families are going through extremely challenging and emotional times.”