A man with Down syndrome has beaten coronavirus after being given just 24 hours to live.

Ben McCafferty, 34, had an emotional reunion with his family on Saturday after fighting off the disease over a fortnight at Bradford Royal Infirmary in West Yorkshire.

Stepfather Neil was filmed in the end of life ward with Ben as he prepared to go home against all the odds, paying tribute to the "exceptional" staff.

"If it wasn't for them, I don't think he'd be here now," he said.

In the film, as Ben heads out of the hospital he is met by his mum Di Margerison for a surprise tear-jerking reunion after weeks apart, all caught on camera.

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The brave patient then turns to staff to say thank you one last time as he gets into a lift.

Talking to the camera in the ward, Neil said: "Ben came in a fortnight ago really poorly and we didn't expect him to survive.

"We were told the survival rate was going to be very low.

"But with the staff and the help and the support that he has had, he has come through and he looks to be fully fit and raring to go."

Due to hospital restrictions surrounding the Covid-19 outbreak, Di was not allowed to be with her son for his treatment - though had stayed by his side the first night he was admitted.

Staff gave Ben a round of applause as he left, with the patient telling them to "be good" causing many to burst into laughter.

Karen Dawber, head of nursing at Bradford Teaching Hospitals, said had been put into palliative care because he was not expected to live another 24 hours.

His mum told the Yorkshire Evening Post : "I didn't think he would make it.

"It was the longest we had ever been apart. The care he received at the hospital saved his life."