by Lynn Cox

A mum had her young son taken away from her for eight months after he was found freezing in sub-zero temperatures.

The woman, in her 20s, was found by police asleep on her Chatham doorstep while the boy was without any shoes or coat as his toes turned blue.

Her son, who is under five, was placed in foster care after the incident on an icy night of -2C in December.

Police said the woman was drunk, but her lawyer told Medway magistrates her slurred speech, glazed eyes and unsteadiness were symptoms of a brain aneurism for which she later underwent surgery.

The single mother, who cannot be identified for legal reasons, has been cleared of being drunk in charge of a child and reunited with her son.

She said: "It's been hell but I have been honest from the start. The past eight months have been a real struggle. I didn't see him for almost a month and we spent Christmas apart.

"It's been madness and it was really scary going to court but I'm glad it's over and we can now move on with our lives."

For the full story, pick up a copy of today's Medway Messenger.