Little Jacob Jackson has endured more than most in his short life.

Jacob was left unable to walk or talk after being struck down by a mystery stroke two weeks before his third birthday.

Doctors feared he would never regain a normal life after the seizures left him paralysed down his right side.

Now aged six, Jacob has made a remarkable recovery against the odds - and won an award for his courage.

His parents, Liz and Garry, of Cornmill Drive, Liversedge, nominated their brave son for a Life After Stroke award and were delighted when he won.

"He deserves if for everything he's had to go through - he was so fit and healthy, absolutely perfect before the stroke," said mum Liz, 28. "He doesn't have control of his right hand so he's re-learned to do everything with his left."

Therapy has brought Jacob some relief and he now walks with the help of a leg brace and needs a hand brace. But he is unable to do so many of the things other youngsters his age take for granted.

He can now talk and has learned how to write with his left hand.

"He gets frustrated sometimes," said Liz, "But he gets on with everything - he's just like a normal boy in that respect. What's amazing is that doctors said that after six months he wouldn't get any better, but little by little he has improved."

Recalling the horrifying day when Jacob had his stroke, Liz said: "He was just curled up in a little ball at the bottom of the stairs shaking. When I picked him up all his face was hanging down and slather was pouring out of his mouth."

After ruling out meningitis it took doctor's four days before they could confirm Jacob had suffered a stroke - a condition normally associated with older people.

Six months later the family were dealt another blow when a scan revealed Jacob had a rare brain disease which had probably caused the stoke.

Jacob has now been diagnosed with epilepsy, as has his sister Molly, eight.

He attends nearby Norristhorpe Junior and Infant School where he has his own special-needs teacher. "The school have been marvellous with him," said Liz. "His friends help him put on his coat."

In the next few months Jacob will need to have a new leg brace cast and is in line for botox injections to relax the muscles in his leg and hand.

And Jacob now has a VIP trip around the JCB factory in Staffordshire to look forward to - an extra prize organised by the Stroke Association after he won their Young Person's Courage Award. "He is really into construction as his granddad is a builder and he wants to be just like him," said Liz.

Joe Korner, of the Stroke Association, said: "Jacob's courage is a shining example to not only other children who experience stroke, but also to the 130,000 adults who have a stroke each year."