AN UPSET mother says her toddler son is in agony after waiting almost a year for a delicate operation.

Marie Buckley, of Winston Avenue, Parr, says she has been told that 19-month-old Joshua may have to wait up to another seven months for his circumcision operation.

The 21-year-old single mum told the Star: "Joshua can't do anything. He keeps on ripping his nappies off and he suffers from bleeding.

"You can't just leave a young boy like this, I don't know what to do next and I just want something to be done straight away."

Marie says she was told by doctors at St Helens Hospital at the beginning of last year that Joshua would have to wait for an appointment for the operation. Since then, she has taken her son to see a total of 11 doctors, who have each given her different reasons for the delay.

Last July, Marie took Joshua back to hospital but she claims she was told she was being "over-protective" and that she should wait to see if his condition improved.

But now, almost a year later, Joshua's condition is still the same and Marie says she fears for the long-term effect on his health.

However, a spokeperson for St Helens Hospital denied the claims, saying that Joshua had visited the hospital on a number of occasions last year because of chest problems.

The spokesman added that Marie had first notified them of Joshua's current condition in January this year.