A KEIGHLEY boy who lost a leg after he contracted meningitis compared prosthetic legs with injured war veterans when they visited his school while on a walking tour of Britain.

The Walk Of Britain team gave inspirational talks to pupils about overcoming life’s obstacles, before hiking off to Ripponden, near Halifax.

Walking With The Wounded is a UK charity which funds the re-training and re-education of injured service personnel.

The team of four British and two US wounded veterans are about 400 miles into their 1,000-mile walk across mainland Britain, which finishes at Buckingham Palace on November 1, where they will meet the charity’s patron Prince Harry.

All those taking part have either physical or cognitive injuries sustained in the line of duty.

Some 300 Bingley Grammar students were encouraged to follow their dreams and keep battling as each of the team gave personal accounts of how they suffered their injuries and came to be on the walk supporting the WWTW charity.

Among the youngsters was year-eight student Harry Burridge, 12, who compared prosthetic legs with former soldier Matt Fisher.

Headteacher Luke Weston said: "Harry entered the school last year and he is an inspiration to many students for his positive attitude.

"Our students were very responsive during the talk, asking questions and listening attentively.

“A group of 16 of our year seven and eight students were lucky enough to meet the team afterwards."

Harry’s mother Sarah Snowden said her son was only a baby when septicaemia caused by meningitis led to him having a leg amputated.

“It’s great he got to meet these people, it was a great idea that will have been inspirational to him and to the other pupils,” said Ms Snowden.

“It’s great for people with disabilities to be out in the community, doing things and showing that we are all the same. But Harry doesn’t actually have any limits to his life, in fact there’s no stopping him.

“Break-dancing is his big hobby and he’s always ready to give anything in life a good go.

“He loves swimming and of course the school has its own pool which is great. Harry also really likes PE and drama and wants to be an actor.

“He is thinking of something he can do himself to raise money for the charity Meningitis Now.”