Children’s author Michael Rosen spent seven weeks on a ventilator with Covid-19 and was told he “might not wake up”.

The poet and author, 74, was treated in intensive care by doctors after he was admitted to hospital in March.

He told BBC Radio 4: “They handed me a piece of paper and said you’ve got a 50/50 chance.

Michael Rosen coronavirus battle
The children’s author said doctors gave him a ’50/50 chance’ (Ian West/PA)

“I said ‘Well are you telling me that’s better than the chance I’ve got now?’

“And I said ‘Are you telling me I might not wake up?’ and they said ‘Yes’, then I signed something.”

Rosen, a former Children’s Laureate, is known for books including We’re Going On A Bear Hunt, Little Rabbit Foo Foo and Chocolate Cake.