THE family of a four-year-old boy are facing an agonising wait after being told he cannot have a heart transplant.

Reece Scott, who was born with an underdeveloped heart and leaking valve, has already undergone numerous operations.

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Yesterday, his parents Sarah and Stuart, of Hawthorn Avenue, Oswaldtwistle, had expected to be told he would be given either a heart and lung transplant, or just a heart transplant, when they met doctors at Manchester Children’s Hospital.

Instead they were told their son’s condition was ‘unique’ and medics were still unsure how to treat him.

Sarah said Reece, who attends Hippings Methodist Primary School alongside his twin brother Regan, had already proved he was ‘incredibly brave’ despite his heart problems, even having life-saving surgery at two-days-old.

Two years ago, he became the first child in Lancashire to take his own portable defibrillator machine to pre-school to stop his heart failing thanks to a fundraising campaign.

And last week the brothers completed a 500-metre course ahead of the Ironman challenge in Bolton, which Sarah said was a huge milestone’ for Reece.

She said: “They have said they won’t give him a heart transplant because they don’t think it will work out.

“They are saying if they do do a heart operation it will not help the lungs.

“They might give him a lung transplant but we just don’t know. We are still in the dark.

“We won’t know what is going to happen until we go to see the top consultant at Newcastle.

“Reece is well in himself, it’s just what’s going on inside.

“We don’t know what the future holds for him – it’s just finding a solution that works for him.

“They said the functioning of the heart is really good from the last operation but they say it’s just the pressure of the lungs that is the main problem at the minute.

“The doctor actually said he is ‘unique’.”

Stuart, who is a plasterer, and Sarah’s brother Derek Watson took part in the Ironman event to raise money for the Freeman Hospital, in Newcastle, where Reece has been treated.

They completed a 112-mile cycle ride from Pennington Flash, a 2.4-mile swim and a marathon.

But it was Reece’s run ahead of the event which brought the most joy.

Mum-of-six mum Sarah – who also has Demi, 16, Dane, 12, Zack, six, and Isaac, one – said while his achievement was brilliant she had mixed feelings as Reece made his way down the track.

Sarah said: “This time next year Reece might not be able to do it.

“He just thinks he’s a winner and he kept saying, ‘I’m a winner, I’m a winner’.

“Reece did need help at the end and all the crowd were cheering him so his dad picked him up to get over the line.

“He’s still in a pram and when we put him in he was drained, but was soon back to normal.”