TEN-year-old James Ferguson has tried to live a normal life despite being stricken with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia when he was three.

His determination to do well in class led to teachers nominating him for a Child of Achievement Award.

Having been diagnosed with the disease in 1995, James, of Wingate, County Durham, suffered a relapse at the age of seven - 14 months after finishing treatment.

In 1999, following an extensive search for a donor with a rare tissue match, which bore fruit in Germany, James underwent a bone marrow transplant at Newcastle General Hospital.

James has struggled to understand what has been happening to him and his parents, Christine and Wilf, have also found life difficult, although the youngster's positive attitude has helped them carry on.

Because of his determination, James has kept up with his school work, despite missing a lot of lessons while he was having treatment in Newcastle Royal Victoria Infirmary.

Now, he donates his computer games to the hospital, for other children to play with. He loves collecting conkers and tries to lead a normal life.

His mother, Christine, said: "He has had a hard time, because he was only three when he was first diagnosed. He is in remission now. He has not been given the all-clear yet and has still got another three years to go.

"He has had to go through an awful lot."