A BABY who has been living in a "bubble" since October is being released from hospital this week - and his parents will finally be able to give him a kiss.

Logan Wilkieson, aged nine months, from Horwich, has a rare condition which affects his immune system and the slightest infection could be fatal.

The youngster has been living in a bubble of clean air at Newcastle General Hospital and in November he had a successful stem-cell transplant and blood transfusion.

His parents, Ruth Lawrie and Gareth Wilkieson, were not allowed to kiss their son because he could catch something.

But now they will be able to, as Logan gets set to be moved to a halfway house in Newcastle at the end of the week.

His parents will be able to look after him and he will be able to start to lead a relatively normal life.

He will be able to play with his sterilised toys, be cuddled, crawl about and go out for walks.

Mr Wilkieson, aged 22, said: "Doctors told us on New Year's Eve that he is well enough to come out of the bubble and move to the halfway house, which is a brilliant way to start 2008."

The halfway house is a place where parents live alone and get used to looking after their sick children.

It is 10 minutes away from the hospital, one of only two in the country which cares for babies with Severe Combined Immunodeficiency Syndrome.

The disease affects just one in 100,000 babies.

Logan will be on medication to protect him from infections and has to be covered up when he is taken out for walks.

He has been out of the hospital with his parents this week and has seen the outside world for the first time in three months.

Mr Wilkieson added: "Being able to take him out for walks has made such a difference. He has to have a plastic rain hood over his buggy but the expressions on his face have been unbelievable, you can tell he really enjoys it.

"He has been recovering well and moving to the halfway house has come sooner than we expected.

"We will be there for about four weeks, and providing there are no problems we could be back home in Bolton in February."