THE parents of a toddler who nearly died after falling into a pond have spoken for the first time of their horror at seeing their son drowning in the water.

Geoff and Sue Belcher relived the moment they saw 18-month-old Nik floating face up at the family home in Chestnut Drive, Leigh.

They also told how paramedics and staff at the Royal Bolton Hospital battled for nearly an hour to get his heart pumping again.

The tragic toddler is still recovering in hospital more than two months after the accident, but has now been taken out of intensive care. It is not yet known if he will suffer from long-lasting damage.

Mr and Mrs Belcher said they had been carrying out home improvements at the front of their detached bungalow at teatime on Monday, May 8, when they suddenly realised something was wrong.

They had left Nik with a relative while they worked and when that person left the house they thought their 13-year-old daughter Emma would have been looking after him, but the schoolgirl did not know her brother was on his own.

The relative had opened the back door to let the pet dog's into the house and the toddler had walked outside.

Mrs Belcher, 35, said: "We asked Emma where Nik was and she said she didn't know. We knew something was wrong then.

"Geoff ran through to the back and found him floating face up. He tipped him upside down and some water came out and he vomited. He then gave him the kiss of life."

It is thought Mr Belcher's actions have saved Nik from severe brain damage.

The couple, who also have a severely handicapped son, Christopher, 15, then had to go through the turmoil of being told their son may not survive.

Mrs Belcher said: "We told the doctor to be honest with us and he said Nik may not survive.

"The heart was not going on its own. We were asked if it stopped, did we want it re-started? There were about 18 people around him. They spent 55 minutes getting it going again. This was a child we had waited years for."

Since the accident the family has been at Nik's bedside at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital in Pendlebury around the clock. They are not sure when he will be allowed home.

But Mr Belcher added: "He's got his smile back. He's a bonny little lad and he's strong."