A little boy born with a severe muscle condition who doctors said would survive just seven months is turning three - and now learning to walk.

Rupert Mosey, two, developed spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) soon after birth - a condition causing muscle degeneration.

Doctors warned his parents, Charlie Mosey, and her husband, George, who live in St Albans, that the tot wouldn't live past seven months old.

But at three months old he had a miracle gene therapy drug Zolgensma - which dramatically reduced his muscle wastage.

Five months later he was enrolled on a clinical trial for a SMA treatment in Milan, Italy.

Doctors even made a special allowance for him to continue accessing the drug in the UK after the trial ended - due to his progress.

He was the first child with SMA to have the treatment, Spinraza, after having had Zolgensma, outside of a clinical trial and on the basis he's progressing well.

Charlie and George spend hours every day doing physical therapy with Rupert to help build his muscle strength - and it's paying off.

Incredibly, the tot has defied the odds to turn three this month and is even now learning to walk unaided.

Charlie, VP of customer success for a tech company, said: "When Rupert was four or five weeks old he stopped moving.

"He was given seven months to live - and researching SMA as his parent was so traumatising.

"But after the gene therapy, we realised there could be hope.

"We got him on the clinical trial and then he was approved to continue it in the UK because of how much he was progressing.

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"But even with the treatments, it's all about trying to maintain as much of his mobility as possible.

"It's like he is training for the Paralympics because he exercises so hard each day.

"He is so wilful and determined and courageous - we're so proud of him.

"We were told he wouldn't even be here for his third birthday - but he is, and he's thriving."

Rupert was born on March 29, 2021 and was seemingly healthy.

But after a fortnight he seemed to be getting physically weaker and by six weeks Charlie said he was "like a potato".

His GP wasn't concerned but Rupert's parents saw him "deteriorating fast" and got increasingly worried when the tot stopped eating too.

On May 19, 2021, Rupert's breathing became shallow "like he had given up" - and the tot was rushed to hospital.

Luckily he was stabilised, but blood tests that followed confirmed he had SMA.

He had type one - the most severe form - which meant all of his muscles would waste over time.

Charlie said: "Before we found out more about the condition, we thought it just affected physical mobility.

"We didn't know that with muscle wastage the muscles around his lungs, heart, and bowels would deteriorate too.

"Doctors told us to get as many of the family to meet him as possible, because he wouldn't live past seven months old."

After the couple pleaded with doctors, Rupert given a new gene therapy drug - Zolgensma - which had only become available on the NHS months earlier.

After having the one-time treatment in June, his physical deterioration slowed down significantly.

Charlie - also mum to Wilf, seven months, who doesn't have SMA - said: "Zolgensma saved his life, not a doubt about it."

Rupert was then enrolled on a clinical trial for a lumbar puncture treatment in Milan in October 2021 - where he travelled every four months for injections for the next two years.

Between his appointments, his parents began doing gruelling daily physical exercises with him to build his muscles and maintain as much strength as possible.

They also visited both NHS and private physiotherapists to give him the best shot.

A special exemption was even granted allowing Rupert to continue having the drug in the UK after the trial ended.

The tot had his first lumbar puncture session in the UK in January and is stronger than ever thanks to his physiotherapy.

He is learning how to lie down from sitting, get on and off the loo by himself and eat on his own.

Charlie said: "We don't compare him to other children, but he has fantastic energy, and has stayed determined and resilient.

"In his most recent milestone, he just completed two completely unassisted steps.

"We never imagined he would be able to walk - and we were told he wouldn't live long enough anyway.

"But he's smashing his milestones."

To celebrate Rupert's birthday the family are organising a big safari-themed party with his friends.

Charlie added: "I look at my youngest son, who is seven months old now - the age doctors said Rupert wouldn't make it past - and I feel emotional.

"Rupert is cheeky, incredibly kind, has so much empathy, and is so determined and courageous.

"I'm so grateful to the NHS for saving his life, but Rupert has worked hard every single day for this.

"Me and his daddy are so proud - we never imagined we would have this life but we feel so lucky.

"He's lucky to be here - but we're the lucky ones because we have him."

The family have set up a registered charity - Rally Round Rupert - for fund clinical research to improve the lives of those affected by SMA.