A High Court judge is analysing preliminary issues in the case of a sick 18-month-old boy at the centre of a life-support treatment dispute.

Alfie Evans is being cared for at Alder Hey Children's Hospital in Liverpool.

Hospital bosses say continuing life-support treatment is not in Alfie's best interests.

His parents, Tom and Kate, want to move him to a hospital in Rome and have launched an internet petition asking for support.

Mr Justice Hayden began overseeing the case at a public hearing in the Family Division of the High Court in London on Tuesday. He was told that Alfie suffered from a progressive neurological condition.