A sports-mad teenager who suffers from a rare blood disorder could soon be shooting hoops from his own hi-tech wheelchair thanks to a team of Bradford fundraisers.

Terence Rankin has Parkes-Weber's syndrome, a condition which causes excessively large blood vessels. It has led to the amputation of his right leg.

Despite this the 14-year-old Manchester United fan from Holme Wood is hoping to make a name for himself as a player with local wheelchair basketball team the Bradford Bears.

And this week a group of volunteers pledged to give Terence a helping hand by raising the £2,000 needed to buy a special micro light wheelchair designed for sportsmen and women with disabilities.

The ten-strong team, all members of the Prince's Trust, have organised a series of fundraising events, including a pub crawl around Bradford and a sponsored walk along Hadrian's Wall in Northumbria.

Tim Bedford, who is taking a break from his job at Royal Mail to co-ordinate the effort, said: "Barnardo's sent a letter on behalf of Terence asking if we could do anything to help. All the volunteers think it is a worthwhile cause and we are determined to raise the money he needs to buy this wheelchair."

The fundraising effort received its first boost last week when the team collected £220 from a pub crawl in Halifax. And they hope to raise more than £1,000 from the 75-mile four-day Hadrian's Wall trek at the end of this month.

Terence was diagnosed as suffering from Parkes-Weber when he was just four years old. The disorder caused parts of his body to receive too much blood and his right leg became enlarged.

Because of the irregular blood flow his heart was put under extra pressure and at nine years old the youngster's weight had plummeted to little over three stones.

The Fairfax Community School pupil has paid regular visits to St Thomas's hospital in London, where a medical team has succeeded in stabilising his heart rate.

His mother, Mandy, said: "The doctors can't cure him but they can stabilise his heart rate. His weight has gone back up to six stone, and although he is on crutches now and has an artificial leg it hasn't stopped him from playing sports - he loves football and basketball."

Terence added: "I started playing basketball at Lowerfields Middle School and my PE teacher put me in contact with the Bradford Bears. Now I train with them every week."

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