The family said they have received the support of the Duchess of York

Ruth Winston-Jones, 34, from Holyhead, is keeping a vigil at the bedside of her son Luke at Bangor's Ysbyty Gwynedd.

Two-month-old Luke was born prematurely with three holes in his heart and Edwards syndrome - a rare severe chromosome defect that often causes an early infant death.

Surgeons at Liverpool's Alder Hey Hospital said a major heart operation would be too "traumatic" for him.

In a statement the hospital said: "Unfortunately children with this syndrome very rarely survive for more than a few weeks or months."

Two of the holes in Luke's heart have closed naturally but he needs surgery on the third to stem the blood which will one day flood his lungs.

Luke is a beautiful baby and is defying all the odds and fighting for his life Jackie Kirkwood, Luke's aunt

Luke's aunt Jackie Kirkwood, 41, said she was "disgusted" by the hospital's attitude and said many operations in America on children with Edwards syndrome have proved successful.

"Defying all odds"

She said: "When they told us we cried and cried for two days and started planning a funeral.

"But Luke is a beautiful baby and is defying all the odds and fighting for his life.

"He's very stable just like a normal baby who lifts his finger to grab your finger and smiles.

"When we found out that there is a boy in America with Edwards syndrome who was still alive and living a normal life we felt angry thought we were very badly misinformed.

"We felt that they allowed Luke home to die, but if he doesn't have an operation it will kill him."

She said the family had received a message of support from the Duchess of York.

The family said they are trying to find an NHS hospital which would perform the operation and are considering a private operation as a "last resort."

They believe a private operation would cost around �10,000.

A spokeswoman from Alder Hey Hospital said: "The cardiac team advised Luke's parents that it was their right to seek opinions from other cardiac centres although we felt that other centres will take a similar view to our own.

"Decisions not to operate in circumstances such as these are always difficult to make and this decision was not taken lightly."

Anyone who wants to donate to the appeal can contact any HSBC bank and ask to donate to the Luke Winston-Jones Appeal Fund.