A couple jailed for the "salt overdose" killing of a three-year-old boy they had planned to adopt won their appeals against conviction today.

Lawyers for Ian and Angela Gay had asked the Court of Appeal in London to accept evidence that toddler Christian Blewitt could have died of natural causes as a result of a type of "salt diabetes".

Three judges today quashed their convictions. The court is now considering the question of a retrial.

The prosecution had argued that the hypothetical evidence should be rejected because it was not new and simply revisited issues which had been dealt with at the original trial.

Ian Gay, 39, and his 40-year-old wife, from Halesowen, West Midlands, were each jailed for five years in January last year for manslaughter following a seven-week trial at Worcester Crown Court.

Christian died in hospital four days after being found unconscious in his room on December 8, 2002, at the #500,000 house where the wealthy childless couple then lived in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.

Former engineer Mr Gay and his wife, a #200,000-a-year insurance actuary, were present in the dock for the ruling today.

The court ordered a retrial later this year. The Gays were released on bail.

More on this story in Thursday's Post