A boy from Bradley Stoke is appealing for funding from local businesses to buy a new powered wheelchair so he can continue to play football.

Ryan Abrahams, 12, was named player of the year for his team Villa Rockets but needs the new wheelchair as his current one is not fast enough.

The Bradley Stoke Community School student is now trying to raise £4,000 to buy it from the Wheelchair Football Association.

His mother, Mary, told the Bradley Stoke Examiner: “It’s a special wheelchair just designed for wheelchair football. It even has fans to keep the motors cool for the fast competition!

“Ryan is playing in his everyday wheelchair at the moment. In the competitions that he is playing up in Kettering there is probably only four or five kids that don’t have this special wheelchair.

“It means Ryan can’t keep up with the speed of the game. If he’s going for a goal or something they are just outpowering him.

“This chair is a lot faster and is designed for speed and maneuverability.”

Ryan says he has been compared to Manchester United’s Christiano Ronaldo because he has “all the skills”.

“I got nominated for Player of the Year when Ronaldo got voted Player of the Year,” said Ryan.

He added that getting a new chair would mean “everything” to him. “I would be able to score more goals and it would be just amazing.”

If you want to help Ryan then please get in touch with us at the Examiner on news@sadlybroke.com and we will pass on your details.