The testimony of a British surgeon about the miraculous recovery of a baby helped pave the way for the canonisation of Malta's first saint, Blessed Dun Gorg Preca, The Daily Telegraph reported yesterday.

Anil Dhawan, a professor of paediatric hepatology at King's College Hospital, London, told The Daily Telegraph there was no scientific explanation for the recovery of a Maltese boy with "devastating" liver failure.

The newspaper article, written by Jonathan Petre and Simon Caldwell, said Dr Dhawan was speaking for the first time about his evidence to a Roman Catholic church tribunal, which investigated whether the child's improvement could be ascribed to Blessed Gorg Preca, who is to be canonised on June 3.

A glove that had touched the body of the priest was placed on the boy by his parents as he lay in a critical condition in King's College hospital nearly six years ago, The Daily Telegraph reported.

Dr Dhawan, who is leading research into whether liver cell injections can replace transplants, said: "There was a 90 per cent plus chance that he wasn't going to survive without a liver transplant. But he survived".

"Furthermore, he improved on his own. Acute liver failure in children is quite a devastating illness. The majority of them die. Scientifically, I do not have an explanation for this child's recovery."

Dr Dhawan said he felt "privileged" to be involved in the canonisation, adding that he would be flying out to Rome for it.

The boy developed severe liver complications just days after his birth in July 2001. He was examined in Malta but his condition was so grave he was transferred to King's College Hospital, the home of the world's largest and most expert paediatric liver centre, The Daily Telegraph said.

On July 14, doctors concluded the baby would die if he did not receive a new liver. The boy's family prayed to Dun Gorg and on July 20, the boy's liver started to function normally and within another four days the baby no longer required a transplant.