GILLINGHAM Football Club chairman Paul Scally and his partner, Sara, have had to take a heartbreaking decision to turn off their baby son's life-support machine after surgeons said they could not save the child's life.

Doctors re-admitted three-month-old Elliott to Guy's Hospital in London nearly two weeks ago. Surgeons had tried to repair two main arteries to his heart but one remained obstructed.

They told the couple on Wednesday that another operation had to be ruled out.

The tragic news was broken on the official Gillingham Football Club website. Speaking on the website, Mr Scally thanked the staff at Guy's Hospital who he said had "worked tirelessly and professionally to give him [Elliott] the best chance of survival".

Mr Scally stressed: "The staff at Guy's Hospital have been superb and they are as heart-broken as we are that Elliott cannot be saved.

"He has suffered a lot in his short life and we have all agreed that the best course of action now is for him to be taken off the ventilator and allowed to live his last few days and hours with as little distress as possible."

The couple also thanked wellwishers for their messages of support.