UK baby who received pioneering keyhole surgery while in the womb takes his first steps

UK baby who received pioneering keyhole surgery while in the womb takes his first steps

The first baby in the UK to have keyhole surgery while inside the womb has taken his first steps - proving the ground-breaking op was a success.

Sherrie Sharp, 30, found out her unborn son had spina bifida at her 20 week scan and was told the baby could be left paralysed if he didn't have an operation.

Doctors said pre-natal spinal surgery would give him the best chance of being able to walk when he was born, and brave Sherrie had the procedure at 27 weeks.

Baby Jaxson was born six weeks later and while the operation went without a hitch, his family waited anxiously to see if he'd be able to walk.And sure enough, just two weeks after getting a mini zimmer frame, fighter Jaxson, now two, took his very first steps.

Not content with just one or two, he sped off in pursuit of a bus - an adorable moment captured on video by his proud mum.

Before the op, his spinal cord was bulging out of his back and his nerves were suffering damage, risking paralysis.

Until recently, surgeons would have waited to perform such a delicate op until the tot was born, but new evidence suggested surgery before birth can be more successful.