A dad described the horrifying moment his baby son struggled to breathe and had to be rushed to hospital for an emergency operation.

Two-year-old Thomas Arnold's parents realised something was seriously wrong when his heart rate reached 175 beats per minute due to a lack of oxygen getting into his system.

Dad Mark Arnold, 51, from Watford, said: "Thomas had a few issues with sleep apnoea at that time and when things didn't improve we were referred to Watford General.

"He was really struggling to breathe and was rushed to the hospital in Cambridge. It was horrible."

The baby was taken to Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge in 2014 for an operation to open his airways. He stayed at the hospital for three weeks.

Watford Observer:

Mark with his second son Henry. Photo: UGC

Mr Arnold and his family were initially staying in a hotel that was 20 minutes away from the hospital. But the Sick Children's Trust offered the parents a place at Acorn House, which was much closer, so they could tend to their son by his bedside.

Mr Arnold praised the charity's Home from Home service: "Staying at Acorn House was a relief in so many ways. We were in Cambridge for three weeks and having to pay for a hotel would've been a huge financial burden.

"Our second son Henry was a newborn and needed feeding every few hours so it was important we could all be together and make sure Thomas was never alone."

Mr Arnold described being in hospital as "isolating" and said he wanted to raise money for the trust by running the London Marathon and holding a golf day at Sandy Lodge in Northwood on March 16.

He said: "We met lots of families who had been there longer than us and didn't get to take their child home so I'd like to raise £3,000 to make sure others can stay together when their seriously ill child is in hospital."

To donate to his fundraising page, go to: www.justgiving.com/fundraising/mark-arnold24