INSPIRATIONAL teenager Lyndon Longhorne and his family have spoken of their delight at meeting Prince Harry at an awards ceremony.

Lyndon, who lost both his legs and part of his arm to meningitis, was in London to receive a national accolade.

Children’s charity Wellchild, of which Harry is patron, chose Paralympic swimming hopeful Lyndon, from Crook, County Durham, as their Bravest Child of the year.

His mother, Tammy Shevels, who nominated him, said: “It was amazing.

“It was absolutely fantastic. We did not know what to expect but we had a great time.

“Lyndon was actually sitting next to Prince Harry.

We could not believe it.

“He tapped Lyndon on the back after he got the award as if to say ‘well done’.”

The awards celebrate the courage of young people coping with serious illnesses or complex conditions.

Lyndon, a 13-year-old pupil at King James I Community Arts College, in Bishop Auckland, said: “Prince Harry was a nice lad. He sat down next to me and asked me how old I was and about my swimming and what strokes I did.

“The award’s got my name on it and everything.

I’m going to take it in to school when I get back.”

The Northern Echo backed a campaign to raise £10,000 to pay for a pair of prosthetic legs for Lyndon from a private clinic, and fundraisers hit the target in days.

Funds, which continue to flood in, will now go towards paying for a £25,000 arm. He is expected to travel to Leeds soon for another appointment with prosthetist Mark Ledger, of Dorset Orthopaedic, for a cast of his stumps.