A BRAVE schoolboy from Worcester who was born with a rare liver disease hopes he can win some medals in the British Transplant Games.

Sports lover James Jenkins, aged 10, of Worcester will be heading to North Lanarkshire to take part in the Westfield Health British Transplant Games which takes place between Thursday, July 27 and Sunday, July 30.

He is a keen swimmer and plays football for the Nunnery Wood Cobras but will be competing on a national level for the games.

James was born with the rare liver disease, biliary atresia, and was given a life-saving transplant when he was just 11 months old.

His mum Maria said: “It was a tough time for us as parents but obviously James has no recall of this and has always known that he had a liver transplant as a baby.

"Fortunately he has been well since and recently he has shown an interest in meeting other young people who have been through the same experience.

"The Transplant Games will be a great opportunity for him to do that and next month he will be going on a Wild Camp organised by Children’s Liver Disease Foundation and he’ll be able to do the same again.”

James will be representing Birmingham Children’s Hospital team at the games, where he will take part in swimming, track and cycling events.

James said: “I'm looking forward to competing but mostly I'm excited to meet other children who have been through transplantation and maybe make some new friends too. It would be great if I came home with some medals too.”

Alison Taylor, chief executive of Children’s Liver Disease Foundation, who have provided information and support to James’ family said: “A diagnosis of childhood liver disease is a shattering one for any family and stories like James’s are what give other families hope."