LITTLE Lee Mitchell was in the thoughts of a famous Bolton author's widow when she visited the town. The four-year-old is recovering in hospital after being washed away in a Bolton river two weeks ago. The accident came after he'd gone with his dad to watch a football training session at the Bolton Lads' and Girls' Club ground, on Hacken Lane, Darcy Lever.

On Friday Erna Naughton, patron of the club and widow of famous Bolton writer Bill Naughton, paid a visit to its headquarters.

During her stay Erna passed on her best wishes to Lee, who is still being treated in the intensive care unit of Pendlebury Children's Hospital.

Leader of the club, Jeremy Glover, said: "I'd obviously told Erna about Lee in a letter I'd written to her.

"She is very concerned about Lee and mentioned him when she came to see us. She was delighted to find out that he's making such good progress.

"It was wonderful to have her visit the club. She is so enthusiatic about what we do, particularly from an arts view point."

On Friday the BEN revealed that Lee had uttered his first words since he nearly drowned in the River Croal. He told mum and dad, Mitch and Joanne: "I want to go home."

His progress towards the end of the week astounded family and friends who have been keeping a bedside vigil at the hospital.

The little lad, of Pleasant Gardens, Bolton, who was hooked up to a ventilator to help him breathe, has now been taken off the life support system.

There were hopes that he could soon be moved to the hospital's high dependency care unit but he is still in intensive care.

Mr Glover added: "Lee's mum and dad are looking forward to when he can be moved on to a children's ward where it isn't as quiet as the intensive care unit."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.