WATCHING Daniel Hartley dashing around the garden, it is hard to guess that just days ago he was on a hospital isolation ward recovering from a life-saving operation.

He has returned to his Hampshire home from London's Great Ormond Street Hospital where he underwent a bone marrow transplant two months ago.

One of four brothers all diagnosed with the same rare genetic disorder, Daniel, 8, would have been unlikely to live beyond his teens unless he had the operation.

He spent Christmas on the ward following the transplant.

Now he faces four months of semi-isolation at home before he is allowed back to school.

"He's come back absolutely fantastic," said dad David. "Apart from the bald head, you wouldn't think he'd been in hospital at all.

"There was always someone at the hospital with Daniel, either me or Allison. It's been tough on the family but it's a small price to pay."

Daniel told the Daily Echo: "Hospital was okay, but I like being home and playing."

The Hartleys are now halfway through curing all four boys of the genetic disorder known as X-linked Lymphoproliferative Syndrome, or XLP.

Last May, eldest son Joshua received his bone marrow transplant from mum Allison.

He overcame several setbacks during his recovery, and had to be admitted to Southampton General Hospital, but the Romsey School pupil is determined to mark his 13th birthday this weekend with a return to school.

"I'm looking forward to going back to school, more than anything," said Joshua, whose hair has gone curly due to the medication he has had to take.

Yesterday he had his first trip back to Romsey's New Life Church in more than eight months.

Allison said: "He realises that what he went through was serious. For a 12-year-old to come to terms with that is difficult, but he has a new appreciation of what all this means."