WHEN Finn Knaggs was just seven months old he was left fighting for his life after contracting pneumococcal meningitis.

The illness caused a number of severe health problems and his mum Kim was told he might never walk.

But now the 15-year-old has won an award for overcoming his disabilities to excel at sport.

Finn, from Guiseley, has received an Outstanding Achievement award from the charity Panathlon.

The teenager, who is a pupil at St John’s Catholic School for the Deaf in Boston Spa,was named as the standout competitor in North Yorkshire by the charity, which gives people with disabilities and special needs the chance to take part in competitive sport.

Finn, has excelled in Panathlon's boccia, football and multisport competitions, showing bravery, leadership skills and empathy with his team-mates and opponents.

Meningitis has left him with profound sensorineural hearing loss, complex epilepsy and left-side hemiplegia. The regular seizures he suffered also resulted in delayed language and communication, particularly with his speech.

Due to his disabilities, particularly his deafness, he finds academic life a challenge, but sport has allowed him to compete and excel alongside his peers.

Panathlon says its events have broadened his horizons, giving him empathy and awareness of other children’s difficulties, and increased his determination and confidence in overcoming his own. Sport allows him to develop his gross motor skills, particularly hand-eye coordination.

Finn loves football and, after initial wariness about being able to include him successfully, Guiseley’s junior team have now embraced him, especially after he scored a hat-trick on his debut.

He is also member of a table tennis club and helps his mum re-home injured and abused dogs, some of which are brought over from Greece. He does 'meet and greets' with the dogs when they arrive at the kennels and helps to walk them.

Finn was presented with his award at the Panathlon North Yorkshire Multisport Finals at Fulford School in York.

He said: "Panathlon makes me feel very happy and excited. I’ve got my gold medals up in my room at home.”

His mum added: "Panathlon has been fantastic for Finn. It allows him to shine, which isn’t always the case in the classroom because of his disabilities. It allows him to show off, which he loves, of course. He struggles with normal schoolwork, but with sport he can be the same as everyone else; in fact, better.

"When Finn was ill as a baby, the doctors told me his body was essentially shutting down and there wasn’t much hope. The experts later said they weren’t sure whether he would be able to walk. If only they could see him now, either at Panathlon competitions or booting a ball over the neighbour’s fence ten times a day."