ROSS PARRY SYNDICATION: THE parents of a toddler who was taken into care over accusations he was being starved have told how they had been to "hell and back" after their name was finally cleared.

Lisa and Paul Hessey have spent 12 months in a battle for their son Zak, who was taken by social workers when hospital medics raised concerns over his "failure to thrive".

The two-year-old is now back with his family, but spent four months living with foster parents because the authorities insisted his parents were at fault and were not feeding him.

The couple, of Bolsover, near Chesterfield, South Yorks., said their suspicion that Zak was autistic was ignored, but specialists have now confirmed his eating problems were caused by the developmental disorder.

Since returning to his family, Zak has remained at the centre of family court proceedings involving social services, but a judge on Friday ordered the case be discontinued.

The furious couple said their name had been "dragged through the mud" and said they now planned to launch a legal claim for compensation.