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Alfie Evans' dad has met Pope Francis in Rome to ask for his terminally ill son to claim asylum in Vatican City so he can receive care at a children's hospital.

Tom Evans, 21, flew to the Italian capital last night and met with the Pope this morning in his Santa Marta residence.

He posted pictures on the Alfie's ArmyFacebook page of himself stood by the pontiff and kissing his hand and later revealed he pleaded for help on behalf of his son.

Mr Evans, 21, them live-streamed himself at St Peter's Square today attending the General Audience in which he said he asked the Pope for his son to claim asylum.

It comes after Pope Francis offered prayers for Alfie on Sunday.

(Image: Facebook) (Image: Facebook)

Mr Evans and mum Kate James, 20, want to take 23-month-old Alfie to Italy for treatment at the Vatican-run Bambino Gesù hospital.

But the couple's attempts to remove him from Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool, where Alfie is on life support, were blocked.

But on Monday, Alfie's parents lost their latest legal battle in the Court of Appeal to prevent their son's life support from being switched off after a judge ruled it could be withdrawn.

(Image: Internet Unknown) (Image: Facebook)

They argued their toddler son was being "deprived of his liberty" by doctors preventing offers of treatment abroad.

Alfie is in a 'semi vegetative state' caused by an undiagnosed brain condition which doctors say he will never recover from.

Yesterday, Mr Evans and and Ms James declared they would appeal to the Supreme Court in a desperate bid to overturn the ruling.

(Image: Facebook)

Writing today on the Alfie Army's Facebook group, Mr Evans said: "No sleep! No food! No tie! No Care!!

"Last night I jumped on a plane and come to the Vatican Rome to meet the pope one hour ago and here we are.

"Alfie we will do everything for you. Your [sic] not dying so we won't allow your life to be taken.

"Your holiness save our son."

(Image: Facebook/Alfies Army Official) (Image: AFP)

Yesterday, three Court of Appeal judges who dismissed Alfie's parents latest legal challenge published a ruling outlining their reasoning.

Lord Justice Davis, Lady Justice King and Lord Justice Moylan ruled against Tom Evans and Kate James following a Court of Appeal hearing in London on Monday.

The judges' ruling was published on the British and Irish Legal Information Institute website.

They said Alfie's parents were making the same argument they had made earlier this year but attaching a "habeas corpus" label.

(Image: Mercury Press & Media)

"It is clear that by their present application the parents are seeking the same outcome that they were seeking from the court in February and March 2018," the three judges explained.

"They wanted to take Alfie to the hospital in Italy and opposed his remaining in hospital in England.

"The court had to decide whether the parents should be permitted to do what they wanted or whether Alfie should remain in Alder Hey and receive treatment and care there...

"The court decided that the parents' views were not determinative; that moving him to hospital in Italy was contrary to his best interests."