Alfie Evans' parents have apologised after police announced they were investigating reports of intimidation and verbal abuse among hospital protesters.

Hundreds of supporters have gathered outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, where the 23-month-old boy, who was pictured with his eyes open on Facebook earlier today, is on life support.

Merseyside Police said they are investigating after reports of 'instances of verbal abuse and acts of intimidation'.

Alfie's parents, Tom Evans, 21, and Kate James, 20, want to move their son to a hospital in Rome for treatment.

Mr Evans said in a statement on Facebook: 'Deepest apologies from me and Kate James to the parents and staff effected by the protest/demonstration, it wasn't mine Kate's or anyone else intention to harm or cause conflict or upset.

'We just wanted to take our son to give him the chance he deserves.'

The news comes on the day the family lost their latest legal fight at the Court of Appeal where they were asking judges to rule Alfie should be allowed to travel to a foreign hospital.

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Alfie Evans' father Tom, 21, gave an emotional speech outside the hospital earlier today. He said: 'Alfie, the family, and all of our supporters are stronger than ever and we will keep fighting all the way. We will never give up on you Alfie'

After his speech (left), Tom shared a photo of Alfie with his eyes open (right). He wrote: He’s fighting not dying, he’s undiagnosed not terminal, HE HAS NOT GOT MITOCHONDRIAL!!!!!'

Despite the decision, Mr Evans gave a defiant speech saying they are 'stronger than ever' and will never give up on the 23-month-old boy.

He said: 'We want to know they can’t break us and we’re never gonna back down. Alfie, the family, and all of our supporters are stronger than ever and we will keep fighting all the way. We will never give up on you Alfie.'

After his speech, Mr Evans posted the photo on Facebook with the caption: 'He’s fighting not dying, he’s undiagnosed not terminal, HE HAS NOT GOT MITOCHONDRIAL!!!!!'

Supporters are still lining the streets outside Alder Hey hospital in Liverpool where the demonstrators are chanting, singing, and lighting candles.

Chief Inspector Chris Gibson said officers 'recognise the sensitivities involved in this very difficult and sad situation'.

'Whilst many people have gathered to protest in a peaceful way, Merseyside Police is now investigating a small number of reports, some of which originate from social media, as well as instances of verbal abuse and acts of intimidation from those outside the hospital,' he added.

'This is extremely unhelpful for all concerned and we are investigating further to establish the full circumstances.

'We would like to remind the public that this is a hospital for sick children and it should not be forgotten that many families are going through extremely challenging and emotional times.

Alfie's parents Tom Evans and Kate James (pictured with their son) have apologised on Facebook after the police announced they were investigating reports of intimidation and verbal abuse outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool

'We would ask protesters to respect families and staff, including the poorly children in the wards and to ensure that access to the hospital is not restricted at any time, so that services including the blood and ambulance service can run as efficiently as possible.'

The court heard today that the protest outside the hospital has caused road blockages which stopped NHS staff and the family of other sick children from accessing the hospital.

Lord Justice Moylan said: 'We are told that some members of hospital of staff could not get to the hospital because of road blockage and that some staff and family members in the hospital could not gain entry.

'They said that some of the supporters had entered the paediatric intensive care ward.'

The couple have already lost fights in the High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights but may ask the Supreme Court to consider the case for a second time.

In February, Mr Justice Hayden ruled that doctors at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool could stop treating Alfie against the wishes of his parents following hearings in the Family Division of the High Court in London and Liverpool.

Specialists at Alder Hey said life-support treatment should stop and Mr Justice Hayden said he accepted medical evidence which showed that further treatment was futile.

Alfie's parents say 'the state' is wrongly interfering with their parental choice.

They want to move Alfie to a hospital in Rome.

The 23-month-old's parents have also shared this image on Facebook of the toddler in hospital

A bouncy castle and a gazebo were put up yesterday as protests entered a fourth day

Mr Justice Hayden said flying Alfie to a foreign hospital would be wrong and pointless and the Court of Appeal judges upheld his decisions.

Supreme Court justices and European Court of Human Rights judges refused to intervene.

What's next for Alfie Evans? Supreme Court justices might be asked to consider the case for a second time because his parents are using a piece of ancient English common law during the latest stage of their fight for treatment. The couple say Italian doctors are willing to treat the little boy and an air ambulance is available. They are now arguing that Alfie is being wrongly 'detained' at Alder Hey and have made a habeas corpus application. A writ of habeas corpus - Latin for 'you may have the body' - is a legal manoeuvre which requires a court to examine the legality of a detention. It is a piece of common law which probably dates back to Anglo-Saxon times. Advertisement

Last week, Mr Justice Hayden endorsed a detailed plan put forward by Alder Hey doctors for withdrawing life-support treatment, after considering a number of issues at a follow-up High Court hearing.

Barrister Paul Diamond, who represented Alfie's parents, on Monday asked the three appeal judges to overturn decisions made by Mr Justice Hayden last week.

Alfie's parents say their son has improved in recent weeks and had asked Mr Justice Hayden to allow a new assessment.

Mr Hayden refused that request.

He said medical experts' unanimous view was that Alfie's brain had been eroded by disease and further assessment was pointless.

They also suggested that Alfie was being unlawfully detained at Alder Hey.

The judge also dismissed that suggestion.

Appeal court officials said an appeal court judge had decided that Alfie should continue to receive treatment pending the outcome of Monday's Court of Appeal hearing.

Judges have heard that Alfie, born on May 9 2016, is in a 'semi-vegetative state' and has a degenerative neurological condition.

As news from the court filtered through to Alfie's supporters at the hospital, tears mixed with anger and police officers fanned out around the crowd, who began a chant of 'Save Alfie Evans!'.

Alfie's Army has urged people to be 'respectful at all times' or face being sent away

Alfie's doctors are unanimous that any treatment is 'futile' as the hospital caring for him urged protesters not to disturb other patients after a bouncy castle went up outside.

Alfie's parents have also urged supporters to be 'respectful' after people visiting Alder Hey in Liverpool complained about the noise.

Men on scrambler bikes have performed noisy wheelies outside the children's hospital where Alfie has been since December 2016, while there were also reports of protesters singing through a karaoke machine and even drinking alcohol.

Yesterday the Pope intervened in the case of the British boy, appealing for his life to be shown 'respect' as his Vatican children's hospital offered to treat him.

Pope Francis prayed for Alfie Evans during his Sunday address in in St Peter's Square in Rome

Lord Justice Davis, who is heading the three-strong panel of appeal judges, told lawyers that at the start of the hearing that doctors had agreed that there was 'no hope'.

He said: 'We cannot have a kind of legal 'Groundhog Day' where you come back again and again and again on the same point.'

A second appeal judge, Lady Justice King, said doctors' unanimous opinion was that Alfie 'could not be saved'.

Alfie's parents were not at the appeal court hearing, which is expected to end in the next few hours.

Alder Hey bosses have pleaded with Alfie Evans protesters not to disturb staff and patients with noisy demonstrations.

The children's hospital urged campaigners backing Alfie's battle for survival to limit their noise due to the impact it was having on recovering patients.

About 100 people were involved in a demonstration outside Alder Hey last night, with supporters chanting in support of the 23-month-old.

Candles were lit in tribute and campaigners lined East Prescot Road as honking cars passed the gathered crowd.

At one point they were addressed by Tom Evans from the roof of a nearby bus shelter.

But photographs also show supporters brought a bouncy castle and gazebos

Alder Hey issued a statement in which it urged protesters to keep noise 'to a minimum'.

It read: 'We would like to make people aware of the impact the current protests are having on our patients, staff and services.

'Noise from recent protests has unfortunately affected our patients, so we would ask that noise levels outside the hospital are kept to a minimum.

'Loud and constant noise such as from car horns affects sleep and raises anxiety levels for our patients especially when recovering from procedures, so please bear them in mind.

Boys on scrambler bikes have been tearing up the road outside the hospital as part of at times noisy protests to save Alfie

'For visitors, we have been advised to put additional measures in place so our patients and families are able to access vital services without limitation by others.

'For example tomorrow, visitors may see more security in the hospital and a more controlled approach to access to certain areas.

'This will help us maintain a flow to vital services, so please be patient.

'However, Alder Hey remains fully operational with A&E open for urgent and emergency care'.

The latest demonstration comes on the eve of a court hearing over Alfie's future.

The case is set to be heard in the Court of Appeal this morning after an emergency order was signed by a judge on Thursday night.

Just days earlier, a date and time for the withdrawal of Alfie's medical support had been set.

Pope Francis used his traditional Sunday blessing in St Peter's Square to say he's praying for British brain damaged toddler Alfie Evans.

The pontiff said the situation is 'very painful and complex' as he spoke on Alfie and others who are terminally ill.

He expressed hope that they're always respected in their dignity and cared for in a way suitable to their conditions, with the agreement of family members, doctors and health workers.'

Monsignor Vincenzo Paglia, head of the Pontifical Academy of Life, a Vatican bioethics think tank, said earlier today that Alfie's parents and hospital officials should work together so his life isn't 'reduced to a legal dispute.'

Francis' comments mark the second time in less than a year that he has intervened in the case of a terminally ill British child.

Around 50 people were filmed standing outside Alder Hey hospital last night in protest at a judges ruling in favour of switching off the child's life support.

In the footage the group sing Hero by Mariah Carey as cars and vans sound their horns in support of the tiny tot.

Protesters including Alfie's mother and father gathered outside Alder Hey hospital

The protest continues outside Alder Hey. Motorbikes rode up and down the road and campaigners held signs in support

Last July he spoke out on behalf of Charlie Gard, who died of a rare genetic disease after a vicious court battle in which his parents sought treatment first in the United States and then Italy.

Alfie's parents are preparing for a hearing Monday at Britain's Court of Appeal during which they will try to overturn earlier rulings that have blocked further treatment.

The High Court, Court of Appeal, Supreme Court and European Court of Human Rights have previously accepted the opinion of doctors, who say Alfie's condition is irreversible.

The pontiffsaid the situation is 'very painful and complex' as he spoke on Alfie and others who are terminally ill

Protesters gathered outside Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool to campaign against the ruling

Alfie, now 23 months old, is in a 'semi-vegetative state' at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool as the result of a degenerative neurological condition that doctors have been unable to definitively identify.

Protesters gathered outside the hospital last week after a judge endorsed a plan for doctors at Alder Hey to withdraw life support.

Motorbikes rode up and down the road and campaigners held signs in support of the brain damaged youngster outside of the hospital.

Speaking outside the hospital on Friday, Alfie's father Tom Evans, 21, said he had chartered a jet to take the child to Italy but had been stopped by the hospital.

'If he stays here and dies, he dies,' Evans said.

'If he goes and he dies at least he has died a hero trying.'

The hospital said that it would not help Alfie to subject him to further tests.

'Alfie's clinical condition is truly heart-rending, but at each stage of the legal process, which has to be followed in such cases, the courts have agreed with the treating team and the independent expert advisers instructed by the trust and the family that Alfie's condition is irreversible and untreatable,' the hospital said in a statement.