A family has praised the East Anglian Air Ambulance for saving their six-year-old son's life.

Albie, from north Norfolk, received urgent care last April after he suffered a life-threatening medical emergency.

When he was born, Albie had extra fluid on his brain and needed numerous surgeries to have a shunt fitted. 

Eastern Daily Press: Doctors on board the air ambulance were able to give Albie urgent care not available from the ambulance service Doctors on board the air ambulance were able to give Albie urgent care not available from the ambulance service (Image: EAAA)Last April, after contracting chickenpox, he said he felt a bit funny before going to bed one evening. 

Shortly afterwards, his older brother Owen raised the alarm that Albie was making a strange noise. 

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Albie's mum, Katie, recalled the moment: "What I saw was horrific - Albie was having a full seizure.

"His eyes were at the back of his head and arms and legs were jerking.

Eastern Daily Press: Albie was treated in the intensive care unit in Addenbrooke's Hospital, CambridgeAlbie was treated in the intensive care unit in Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge (Image: EAAA)"I shouted for my husband to call an ambulance."

When the paramedics arrived, they quickly realised they needed back up, and put in a call to the EAAA. 

Worried Albie's shunt may be faulty, he was quickly flown to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, a specialist neurological hospital. 

Eastern Daily Press: The air ambulance was able to get Albie to a specialist hospital an hour and a half faster than by road The air ambulance was able to get Albie to a specialist hospital an hour and a half faster than by road (Image: EAAA)The flight only took 30 minutes compared to the two hours it would have taken to drive, and doctors on board were able to give Albie stronger medication and an anaesthetic hours earlier than would have been possible otherwise, stopping the seizures which had been going on for an hour. 

Albie spent the night in intensive care before waking up the next morning asking where breakfast was.

He spent a few days in hospital to be safe and was given antibiotics for the chickenpox.  

He was then diagnosed with epilepsy before being transferred back to a local hospital. 

Eastern Daily Press: Albie on the beach with his familyAlbie on the beach with his family (Image: EAAA)Katie said: "The speed of getting Albie to a specialist hospital was crucial. It could have been a different story otherwise.

"The advanced skills, equipment and medicine of EAAA gave him the best possible chance and our family is so grateful to the crew and to the supporters of the charity who made it possible.

"Albie is now fine and thankfully there has been no lasting damage. He has no recollection of what happened, and we are pleased to say he is back enjoying his world of Thomas the Tank Engine."