A BRAVE teenager from Houghton Green who was hit by a rare illness has been presented with a lifesavers award.

Richard Coombes, aged 15, of Greenwood Crescent, told few people about his condition when he fell sick in the summer of 2000.

The Penketh High School pupil suffered a number of symptoms, including having trouble walking along the school corridors.

It took a series of blood tests for doctors to determine what was wrong with Richard. He was growing too fast for his age, and this was causing his liver not to function properly.

His mum Lynne said: "He kept it from everyone except those people who needed to know.

"He was taken to hospital and put on high doses of antibiotics. He was ill for around five or six weeks."

Following his experience, however, Richard realised that life was for living and took up a number of hobbies as well as continuing his lifesaving work at Warrington swimming baths.

And he has just received the Teaching Instructor of the Year Award from the town's baths, where he teaches children once a week.

The active youngster also takes part in snorkelling sessions on Saturday, also at Warrington baths, and practises his scuba diving techniques on Thursdays.

His ambition is to be a fireman, and he is already a fire cadet at Warrington station.

Lynne said: "I've had to let him do what he wants to do and have supported him. I'm extremely proud, he's wonderful."