Blackpool Aspire Academy Year 11 student Liam was awarded 3rd place in the Lancashire Young Citizen Awards for 2014, held at Hutton Police Headquarters.

In May 2014, Liam was being driven to school by his mum Leanne along Blackpool Prom when she began to go into a seizure. She had not had a fit before and Liam at first thought she was laughing at something he’d said. Leanne’s foot hit the accelerator and became locked – causing their car to crash into the back of the vehicle in front. Luckily nobody was hurt from the impact but Liam knew he had to get help for his mum. He put the gearstick into ‘park’ and took the keys from the ignition before jumping out of the car and frantically trying to flag down some assistance. Unfortunately, people continued to drive past him - with one person even swearing at him to get out of the way. Leanne fitted for seven minutes and was unconscious for three. Eventually a nearby window cleaner saw the commotion and came over. As a sufferer of epilepsy himself he recognised the signs and immediately rang 999.

Leanne has still not been able to find out the cause of these convulsions – which now occur every month or two. Liam goes straight home from school each day to check his mum is all right and has learned to do housework so that he can help out. He even sits on the landing outside the bathroom while his mum has a bath to make sure she does not have a seizure and start to drown.

Liam did a sky-dive from 15,000 feet just four days after his 16th birthday to raise hundreds of pounds for Brian House Hospice. He is now planning a bungee jump to raise money for an epilepsy charity.

John Topping, Deputy Principal said ‘Aspire Academy has had three major winners over the last three years.  Last year Rachel Minnis scooped the top award as Lancashire’s Young Citizen of the Year and the year before in 2012 Natalie Markham achieved the same first prize place.  We are most grateful to our PCSO Nikki Leigh who nominated our three high achievers.  We are looking forward to next year’s prestigious awards and hopefully a winner from an academy within the Fylde Coast Academy Trust’

Liam is pictured above with his parents and the High Sheriff of Lancashire, Dr Barry Johnson