The parents of terminally-ill baby Charlie Gard are 'utterly distraught' and facing fresh heartbreak after losing their final appeal in the European Court of Human Rights.

Chris Gard, 32, and Connie Yates, 31, wanted to take their 10-month-old son - who suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage - to the US to undergo a therapy trial.

Doctors at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London, where Charlie is being cared for, said they wanted him to be able to 'die with dignity'.

But the couple, from Bedfont, west London, raised almost £1.4million so they could take their son to America but a series of courts ruled in favour of the British doctors.

Chris Gard and Connie Yates want their son Charlie (pictured together) to undergo a therapy trial in America

10-month-old Charlie Gard (pictured) suffers from a rare genetic condition and has brain damage

Charlie's parents (pictured together) hoped that judges in France would come to their aid after losing battles in the High Court, Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in London

Will Charlie's life support be switched off straight away? Charlie Gard's parents Connie Gard and Connie Yates have been forced to prepare themselves for the eventuality that their baby son's life would be ended by the courts. Great Ormond Street Hospital have said that although a deadline on continuing his care is in place, it will not be followed to the letter. Doctors say there is 'no rush' to end his treatment and they have discussed what will happen with his parents. The couple will have days rather than hours to say goodbye to their son. A spokesman for the hospital said: 'At Great Ormond Street Hospital, our priority in situations like this is to work closely with the family to discuss the next steps in their child’s care. In Charlie’s case we have been discussing for many months, how the withdrawal of treatment may work. 'There would be no rush for any action to be taken immediately. 'Discussions and planning in these situations usually take some days – based on the experience of our clinical teams'. Advertisement

It comes after specialists at Great Ormond Street said therapy in the US is experimental and will not help and added that life support should stop.

And after losing legal battles in the UK, Charlie's parents were hoping judges in Strasbourg, France, would come to their aid.

But on Tuesday afternoon, the ECHR rejected a last-ditch plea and their 'final' decision means the baby's life support machine will be switched off.

The ECHR announced the application to the court by the parents was 'inadmissible' and added that their decision was 'final'.

Mr Gard and Miss Yates have yet to comment on today's decision, however their Twitter account 'Charlie's fight', retweeted a number of messages.

One said: 'The #CharlieGard case is terrible. Shame on the UK judges allowing him to die, shameful, terrible decision.'

Another message the account retweeted read: 'Very evil people..... Sentencing a child to death! What an anti-child pagan society we are. I pray for #CharlieGard!'

Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children today said their thoughts are with Charlie's parents and said the decision 'marks the end of a difficult process'.

Their statement read: 'Our thoughts are with Charlie's parents on receipt of this news that we know will be very distressing for them.

'Today's decision by the European Court of Human Rights marks the end of what has been a very difficult process and our priority is to provide every possible support to Charlie's parents as we prepare for the next steps.

'There will be no rush by Great Ormond Street Hospital to change Charlie's care and any future treatment plans will involve careful planning and discussion.'

A statement from the ECHR said: 'Today the European Court of Human Rights has by a majority endorsed in substance the approach by the domestic courts and thus declared the application inadmissible. The decision is final.

'The case concerned Charlie Gard, a baby suffering from a rare and fatal genetic disease.

'In February 2017, the treating hospital sought a declaration from the domestic courts as to whether it would be lawful to withdraw artificial ventilation and provide Charlie with palliative care.

Charlie's parents desperately wanted their son (pictured) to undergo treatment in America

Judges today said that the parents of Charlie (pictured) could not take him to the US for treatment

Chris Gard and Connie Yates, from Bedfont, west London, have been battling to save their son since he was diagnosed with a rare condition in September 2016

'Charlie's parents also asked the courts to consider whether it would be in the best interests of their son to undergo experimental treatment in the US.

'The domestic courts concluded that it would be lawful for the hospital to withdraw life sustaining treatment because it was likely that Charlie would suffer significant harm if his present suffering was prolonged without any realistic prospect of improvement, and the experimental therapy would be of no effective benefit.

'The domestic court decisions had been meticulous, thorough and reviewed at three levels of jurisdiction with clear and extensive reasoning giving relevant and sufficient support for their conclusions; the domestic courts had direct contact with all those concerned.

'The domestic courts had concluded, on the basis of extensive, high-quality expert evidence, that it was most likely Charlie was being exposed to continued pain, suffering and distress and that undergoing experimental treatment with no prospects of success would offer no benefit, and continue to cause him significant harm.'

It comes after a High Court judge in April ruled against a trip to America and in favour of Great Ormond Street doctors.

Mr Justice Francis concluded that life-support treatment should end and said Charlie should be allowed to die with dignity.

Three Court of Appeal judges upheld that ruling and three Supreme Court justices dismissed a further challenge by the couple.

Mr Justice Francis made a ruling after a trial in the Family Division of the High Court in London.

The couple have not commented on the decision this afternoon but instead retweeted a number of messages including one which said the case 'is terrible'

Their account also retweeted this message which said the decision was ultimately 'sentencing a child to death'

He heard that Charlie, who was born on August 4 last year, has a form of mitochondrial disease, a condition which causes progressive muscle weakness and brain damage.

Specialists in the US have offered a therapy called nucleoside.

During hearings in London, barrister Richard Gordon QC, who leads Charlie's parents' legal team, has given indications of the case the couple are mounting in the European court.

He has suggested that British government ministers may be in breach of human rights obligations as a result of decisions by judges in London.

He has said parents should be free to make decisions about their children's treatment unless any proposal poses a risk of significant harm.

Mr Gordon also suggested that Charlie's rights to life and liberty might have been breached and the couple's right to respect for family life infringed.

Charlie's parents have raised nearly £1.4million to pay for therapy in America.

The couple launched an appeal on a GoFundMe website four months ago, saying they needed £1.2 million.

They reached their target shortly before a High Court trial began in April and more than 83,000 people have donated money.

Charlie's mother has posted a message on the website thanking people for their continued support.