A teenager who was left fighting for his life after having his tonsils removed has walked for the first time in weeks. 

Corey Wilkinson, 19, had the routine op on November 23 and should have been home and recovering within days.

But Corey, from Cleethorpes, Lincolnshire, started experiencing severe and rare complications that threatened his life.

After being discharged the day after his op, Corey begun bleeding from the mouth and apparead struggling to breathe. 

He was rushed into A&E at Leeds Teaching Hospitals by his girlfriend, Courtney Backhouse, 19.

Corey was put on a ventilator and feeding tube, and when medics tried to take him off the breathing aid he went into cardiac arrest.

He also suffered a lung collapse following the major bleed.

Shocked parents Nicki Wilkinson, 39, and Barry Blastland, 40, rushed straight to the hospital after being told on the phone that Corey had been taken into intensive care.

Nicki said: "Corey's tonsils had always been large and before this, he had a burst blood vessel on his tonsil which is why the doctor decided to take them out and send them for a biopsy.

"He had an overnight stay at the Diana Princess of Wales Hospital in Grimsby and went to Leeds to visit his girlfriend the next day where he appeared completely fine.

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"But the evening he was released, his girlfriend rushed him to A&E after he began bleeding and noticed he was struggling to breathe so we rushed there straight away.

"I found out he had had a major bleed and they struggled to stop the bleed and had to put him on a ventilator; a lot of blood had gone into his lungs.

"We were told to prepare ourselves for the worst and they weren't sure whether he was going to have long term or short term brain damage."

The young man was put on life support for two weeks, during which time Nicki said he was not able to respond to them.

She wrote on a GoFundMe page for her son that the family were told to “prepare ourselves”, as doctors couldn’t be sure if he would pull through. 

Corey, who is training to be a personal trainer, slowly started to come round, squeezing the hands of his loved ones in response.

But ahead of him, Corey has to build the strength to walk, talk and eat properly again. 

Nicki, a nursery worker, said: "After two weeks on life support, they took his sedation away slowly and he started following a few of their commands.

"We had no idea how serious the complications could be from having what seemed like a simple procedure that a lot of people have had.

"I want people to know that this can happen and it can cause life altering changes if there are complications.”

Corey’s tonsils were removed because they were enlarged, which can occur naturally or due to repeated infection, and may cause breathing difficulties.

A tonsillectomy, like all operations, has risks. There can be bleeding during healing, for example.

But Corey appears to have experienced catastrophic complications that are uncommon. Hundreds of thousands of tonsillectomies are undertaken every year on the NHS.

Thankfully Corey is on the road to recovery, as on January 6, he was able to walk on his own for the first time, with hospital staff filming the incredible moment.

Nicki said: "It was amazing to see the video – I was in shock!

"The last time we spoke, he was just taking a few steps so to see him walk the length of the corridor was the best thing.

"His smile says it all; he's really determined and has pushed through every task he's been given by the doctors and we're all amazed by him.

"He's now had his feeding tube removed as well and is able to eat blended foods which is amazing as there was concern he might not be able to eat again.

"We're all so proud of him and can't wait for him to come home."

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