Alfie Evans has been granted Italian citizenship in bid to save him

However, a High Court judge has dismissed a “last-ditch appeal” by the parents.

Mr Justice Hayden had said doctors at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool could stop providing life-support treatment to Alfie.

Alfie’s parents, Tom Evans and Kate James, who are both in their early 20s and from Liverpool, asked for a delay to give them time to mount a further challenge.

But the judge has refused their application and given doctors the go-ahead to stop treatment and bring Alfie’s life to an end.

Mr Justice Hayden analysed issues at a hearing in the Family Division of the High Court late on Monday.

The judge heard submissions from lawyers representing hospital bosses, Alfie’s parents and Alfie via a telephone link.

He gave lawyers permission to release a recording of the hearing to the Press Association.

All previous hearings in the case have been staged in public.

Alfie’s parents want treatment to continue and want to fly him to a hospital in Rome.

Barrister Paul Diamond, who represents the couple, told the judge that Alfie had been granted Italian citizenship on Monday.

He said an Italian government representative wanted to intervene in the case and asked for more time.

Mr Diamond said there was now an “international relations element” to the case.

But Michael Mylonas QC, who leads Alder Hey’s team, said any granting of…