Harry Barron-Edgley shortly after birth (Picture: Medavia)

Warning: Article contains graphic images

A young mother mistook a giant cyst for a second head when she first saw her newborn son.

Ellie Wellman-Smith, now 20, was shocked when she saw a large lump coming from son Harry’s shoulder, initially fearing her baby had a second head.

Revealing her initial shock, she said: ‘When I opened my eyes as they handed me to him I was so shocked – I thought he’d been born with two heads.


Mum Ellie Wellman-Smith initially feared her son had two heads (Picture: Medavia)

‘I had no idea what it was – whether it was cancer or a tumour or something he’d have forever, it was really scary.’



The 13cm wide growth was a cyst, which was eventually removed after five separate operations.

The second ‘head’ was in fact a cyst (Picture: Medavia)

He was finally able to return home to his family in Corby, Northamptonshire, at 15-weeks-old.

Ms Wellman-Smith described the ordeal shortly after Harry turned one, revealing she is now glad she decided against a 12 week scan during her pregnancy.

The cyst was eventually removed (Picture: Medavia)

‘I chose not to have a 12 week scan when I was pregnant because it didn’t matter to me whether Harry had any disabilities or not, and I’m really glad I didn’t change my mind,’ she told the Daily Mail.

She added: ‘Lymphatic malformations can sometimes indicate lots of other problems including chromosomal abnormalities. I probably would have been told that termination was an option.

‘As it is, Harry is a lively, wonderful, healthy child. He can eat, he can play, he can mess around with his brother and enjoy life.’

Harry has now celebrated his first birthday (Picture: Medavia)