A FOOTBALL-mad schoolboy whose legs were amputated after he contracted a rare form of meningitis has been presented with a car by the Prime Minister.

Ten-year-old Joshua Ford, of Lisbon Drive, Burnley, visited Gordon Brown at Downing Street yesterday where he was presented with the key to a Motability scheme car.

The Vauxhall Vectra was chosen by Joshua and his family as it is large enough to stow the schoolboy’s wheelchair when he needs a rest from wearing his prosthetic legs. Joshua’s mum Lisa, said: “Having a reliable family car is an enormous help.

“Motability arranges everything, including road tax, insurance, servicing and breakdown cover – all we have to do is get in and drive.”

The event marked the 30th anniversary of the Motability scheme as well as the milestone of reaching 500,000 cars on the road.

Chairman and co-founder of Motability Lord Sterling CBE, said: “It isn’t until disability touches people personally that they realise how it can affect their freedom to come and go as they please. Accessing public transport can become difficult and even getting in and out of a car can prove challenging.”

Earlier this year the Burnley community raised £8,000 to pay for a pair of specialist prosthetic legs, so that Chelsea fanatic Joshua, whose legs were amputated last year, could play football again.

And the brave schoolboy realised his dream earlier this summer when he celebrated his birthday by playing football for the first time since his illness and even scoring a goal for Ighten Leigh Juniors Football Club.