Biffa binmen have organised a charity football match for a couple whose baby has been diagnosed with a rare condition.

Presley was only two days old when he had to have open heart surgery.

Parents Chloe Ashton and Levi Bert from Maidstone have been by his side in Evelina London Children's Hospital since he was born.

On Wednesday, June 14, Chloe was booked in for an elective caesarean section at Pembury Hospital in Tunbridge Wells.

The operation went smoothly, however, it was during the evening when they realised something was wrong.

Presley was breathing faster than normal, turning blue and wasn’t feeding.

“The nurses and midwives at our local hospital reassured us that everything was fine with him,” the 23-year-old mum said in her GoFundMe appeal.

“Later on that day, they took him to the neonatal unit to give Presley a bit of oxygen, as his levels were slightly low.

“We then knew something was seriously wrong.

“Within an hour he stopped breathing by himself, he required to be put on a ventilator machine and various medicines to keep him alive.”

After being transferred to St Thomas' Hospital in London, a CT scan showed that his lung had collapsed.

Lou Grey, Levi’s Aunt, says Presley was only two days old when he had his first open-heart operation.

During this time, he stayed in hospital and was eventually diagnosed with supracardiac total anomalous pulmonary venous return (TAPVR).

This is a rare condition where blood vessels from the lungs take an abnormal path back to the heart.

In a 2019 study, around one in every 7,809 babies born in America were diagnosed with TAPVR.

The 50-year-old added: “He now has to be fed through a tube and goes back to hospital every four to five days to have blood tests and scans.

“This is because the tubes from his heart were narrow and they had to put a balloon into them to open them up. It’s horrendous.”

Lou says the past few months have been really tough for the young couple.

“They have spent a good 12 weeks of Presley’s life in hospital,” she said. “It’s heart-wrenching.

“To see him sit there and see how he is just starting to smile and talk back at you in his own little way.

“You just think he doesn’t understand what he has gone through and what he will be going through.”

Presley, now 4 months old, is set to have his third heart operation.

The family are currently waiting for the tot to get “fitter and stronger” before they proceed.

Lou added: “Doctors have said that many don’t live past the age of two.

“But we aren’t looking at that, we are looking on the bright side.

“You just have to stay positive.”

Dad Levi, 26, has worked as a binman for Biffa in Parkwood Industrial Estate for the last two years.

To show their support, his colleagues have organised a charity match which will take place at Aylesford Football Club.

A group from Maidstone Biffa and a team from the Hollingbourne branch will go head-to-head this Saturday (September 23).

Spectators are being asked to donate on the door. Kick-off starts at 7pm.

All of the money raised from the event will go to Evelina Children's Heart Organisation.

‘If it wasn’t for the hospital, Presley wouldn’t be here.’

“If it wasn’t for the hospital, Presley wouldn’t be here,” Lou said.

“They’re just amazing up there. He gets so much care and they are lovely people.”

Click here if you would like to donate to the GoFundMe page.

So far they have raised £1,000 – already beating their £500 target.