At 3pm on March 26 this year, one-year-old Benjamin Goodchild died as a result of a tragic accident - but 50 minutes later he was brought back to life. KATE THOMPSON talked to parents Toni and Andrew about their remarkable son.

TONI and Andrew Goodchild gaze lovingly at their lively 14-month-old son Ben - aware that only a few months ago he died.

As his hand reached out and touched a faulty wire on an electric fire, his head shot back as a result of the heart-stopping shock - and Toni knew instantly that her longed-for baby was dead.

But she refused to let him go without a fight.

She rang the emergency services and while the ambulance crew made their way to her Furze Road address in Sholing, Toni, 40, gave her son mouth-to-mouth resuscitation.

Ben was rushed to hospital and a team of 14 doctors and nurses fought to save his life.

"The accident happened at 3pm and at ten to four one of the doctors came to me and said it had been 50 minutes and the lack of oxygen would mean he would be brain damaged.

"I told them Ben's a fighter and could they try one more time - and then whoosh, he came back.

"I knew he was dead all that time but I also knew that wasn't it for Ben. I'm sure that's why I stayed so calm throughout.

"It's a strange situation to be in - there I was seeing my son dead before me but I didn't get hysterical because I knew he hadn't really gone," said Toni.

Twenty minutes after the accident Toni had rung her husband Andrew, 47. He was working in Penzance but began the long journey back to Southampton, fearing the worst.

He said: " Toni rang me at 3.20pm and told me Ben was dead in the back of the ambulance. I set off immediately and didn't know whether I was driving home to a dead son.

"By the time I arrived at the hospital, his heart was beating although everything else was being done by machines.

"It was two days later that we knew for sure he was going to live," he said.

A brain scan has shown that the damage is severe. The experts don't know whether he will ever be able to speak and they have given him only a two per cent chance of walking.

"Some people have said 'Wouldn't it have been kinder to just leave him to die?'

"But there was no way I was going to do that. If you ask mothers who have lost children what they would give to have their child back it makes me realise how lucky I am," she said.

Ben has only just come home from hospital. He is still being fed by a tube but his parents are heartened by the progress he is already making.

"When Ben smiled again for the first time, it was amazing. We took photos and phoned everyone to let them know," added Toni. "He is able to show emotion and that's so important."

The couple, who both have teenage daughters from previous marriages, are under no illusions that the road ahead will be tough.

They are in the process of setting up a trust fund to help pay for treatment for their son.

"It was four or five weeks after the accident that we found out for sure what had happened to Ben.

"We cried our hearts out that day. But the next day we knew we had to stop being so upset - tears won't help him now.

"We have to be really positive," said Toni.

As his proud father plays the piano, his young son visibly relaxes, clearly listening to the notes, and his clenched fists unfurl.

A beautiful smile breaks out on Ben's face.

Andrew, a project manager for TW Clark in Millbrook, summed up their feelings.

"Toni's mother said a really important thing to us. She said that before the accident he was a very special little boy who brought a lot of joy to a lot of people.

"But now he is even more special. Nobody dies for 50 minutes and then comes back for no reason - he is here for a purpose.

"And we are so glad he came back."

If you would like to contact the Goodchilds or would like to make a donation to the trust fund contact www.andrewgoodchild@fsmail.net.

Toni has been nominated by her sister Kim Quayle in the Vodafone Lifesaver Award Competition supported by the Daily Echo. If you want to nominate a hero for the awards write to Kate Thompson, Woman & Lifestyle editor, Daily Echo, Newspaper House, Test Lane Southampton SO16 9JX.