Burnley schoolboy Josh makes goalscoring return

5:50pm Sunday 6th July 2008

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BRAVE Burnley schoolboy Joshua Ford made a goalscoring return as he played football for the first time in eight months.

Sport-made Joshua, who turned 10 today, got out on the field for the first time since last year, when his legs were amputated after he contracted a rare form of meningitis.

Since then, Joshua has used a pair of prosthetic NHS limbs while his family raise money for a pair of superior specialist legs for when he stops growing.

He took part in an hour-long training session with teammates from Ightenleigh Juniors Football Club yesterday morning.

Afterwards, the Ightenhill Primary School pupil said: “It was really exciting and enjoyable because it had been so long since I played.”

Mum Lisa, 31, watched him during the training session at Sycamore Avenue playing fields, along with dad Darren, 32.

Lisa said: “He played really well and he scored a great goal.

“He just booted it and it went straight into the back of the net. He lasted the full hour - I just couldn’t believe it.

“Before he played, he was so excited and was saying ‘This is the best day of my life’.

“Now he’s back in the team he will be training with the rest of the lads every Thursday night.”

Meanwhile, Chelsea fan Joshua, of Lisbon Drive, yesterday ((SUN)) celebrated his 10th birthday in style after Blues and England captain John Terry sent him a pair of signed football boots.

Terry played for Chelsea in the boots, which feature the names of his children, Georgie and Summer.

Last year, Joshua met Terry as part of fundraising for a new set of limbs and Lisa said the bid to raise more money was ongoing.

She added: “We do not have the money to do what people have done for him, so we have to keep fundraising.

“Then hopefully we can buy him a brand new pair of special limbs for when he stops growing and then he can carry on playing football.”

Ightenleigh Juniors Football Club have written to the FA to ask if Josh will be able to take to the pitch in the new season.