JOSHUA Hartley is back home.

The 12-year-old has been in Southampton General Hospital after suffering an illness following his lifesaving transplant in June.

The schoolboy had been suffering from a mild case of graft versus host disease, which means that cells from the bone marrow transplant from mum Allison were attacking Joshua's body, as though it were an infection.

Doctors decided it was a very mild case - grade one out of four - and the Romsey School pupil was allowed back home to Winchester Road, Romsey.

He's even eating solid foods again.

Dad David said: "Joshua is now home and doing really well. He is now being reintroduced to solid food - chicken and rice cakes have never tasted so good.

"It is hoped in two weeks he will be back on a full solid diet."

Joshua was the first of the four Hartley brothers to receive a vital transplant at London's Great Ormond Street Hospital. He was allowed home at the end of July but was admitted to Southampton's hospital three weeks ago.

Now that he's back in Romsey, Joshua must stay away from big crowds of people for the next few months to give his immune system time to fully rebuild itself.

Along with four-year-old Luke, Daniel, 8, and Nathan, 10, he suffers from one of the world's rarest genetic disorders called X-Linked Lymphoproliferative disease (XLP).

A bone marrow transplant is the only cure - otherwise sufferers rarely live beyond their teens.

All four Hartley brothers now have donors, and Daniel, Nathan and Luke are due to receive their transplants over the next 18 months.

To find out how to become a bone marrow donor, or to contribute financially to the running of the register, contact the Anthony Nolan Trust on 0901 8822 234.