JAILED ex-Kidderminster Harriers player, Darren Steadman, has been allowed to visit his sick son in hospital after first being denied the request.

The former goalkeeper, serving a four-and-a-half-year prison sentence for fraud, was refused permission to be at the bedside of critically ill Keelan at the weekend but prison bosses had a change of heart on Monday.

The eight-year-old boy was rushed to hospital on Thursday after his appendix burst and, because there was no bed at Worcestershire Royal Hospital, was taken to the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford.

Doctors fought for his life as he suffered septicaemia and a soaring temperature and was placed on a ventilator in intensive care.

His mother, Corrinne Monger, was by his bedside but Steadman's request to attend was originally refused by prison authorities at Blakenhurst Prison in Redditch.

Deputy governor, Tony Corcoran, defended the decision, saying the hospital had told them the boy's condition was not life-threatening.

"However, the situation was reviewed on Monday and an escort took him to the hospital," said Mr Corcoran.

He added that he understood Keelan was now "on the mend" and said the prison was keeping in touch with the hospital to ensure that Steadman was kept informed of his son's condition. Any further visits would depend on the child's progress.

A hospital spokesman said Keelan is out of intensive care and progressing well.

Steadman, 35, was convicted in November, 2004 of a series of frauds in which it was estimated he stole more than £2 million.

Nearly half of the money was said to have come from business tycoon, Sir Terence Conran, having been illegally siphoned from his Abbey National account and put into Steadman's. He claimed he thought the transfer was a legitimate loan from a mystery venture capitalist.