A father-of-three who lost his foot due to a rare disease is now touring the UK and Europe playing snooker.

Martin Brunker thought he could not do anything after his diagnosis, but it took him one night watching telly to find out he could still enjoy one of his favourite sports.

Martin, who lives in Larkfield, had been playing snooker and pool for the past 15 years at Jordans Bar when he used to live in Rainham.

But three years ago he was diagnosed with charcot foot, a condition which can affect people with neuropathy (nerve damage with numbness).

According to the NHS, the bones of the foot can become very fragile and can start to break or dislocate in response to very minor forces – even just standing or walking.

"Because of my diabetes, I had an infection and that's when I had to put in a prosthetic leg," he said.

"I have neuropathy so I didn't feel anything when my bones broke."

Martin was treated and diagnosed at Pembury Hospital and is now under the care of King's College Hospital in London.

The 42-year-old thought his life would stop there, as he had to stop working. He wasn't sure if he would ever be able to play any sports again.

Then he found out about World Disability Billiards and Snooker (WDBS) charity.

Martin recalled: "I was watching snooker on telly and they were talking about disability snooker.

"So I looked it up online, spoke to the people at WDBS and it turned out I was eligible to play. I've been playing with them for just over a year now.

"I've always liked playing pool and I saw my incident as an opportunity to see if I could still play because I didn't know if I was going to be able to do anything like that."

Martin explained how disability snooker has the same rules as the original sport. However, players are divided into categories that match their disability, from wheelchair users to amputees, which is his category.

In his case, he started by using a portable stand for his left leg, but has changed to a mobility scooter and gets up whenever he needs to take his shot.

When on tour, Martin and his fellow players need sponsorship and raise money to pay for the multiple trips a year around the UK and Europe as all athletes are self-funded.

These included past competitions in Newport and Stockport, and their upcoming tournaments in Belgium this month and Hull in May.

For more information on how you can help Martin, visit his Facebook page here.

He has managed to get sponsorship for a new cue thanks to a company in Warrington, but still needs help with his upcoming Belgium trip, as transport and a four-night hotel stay can cost him up to £800.

The Larkfield dad, who practices with a coach a few days a week in Rainham, said he could not be happier to have joined the charity, as it keeps his mind and body busy.

He said: "They're so great and they're helpful and they made it so easy for me to make that step in my life. When I went to my first tournament, they just made me feel so included and comfortable. It feels like a little family.

"Everyone at WDBS were so good in getting my confidence back because I thought I couldn't do anything any more, and I'm quite a sporty person.

"I used to play football, cricket and golf but everything had to stop. So I didn't even think I could play snooker until I spoke with the charity. "

He added: "I haven't seen a bad person yet. Everyone is just so nice.

"Some of the stories I hear make me feel quite lucky with what I've got. It just puts everything into perspective.

"I've never been in an environment like it. We're one big family just playing snooker and having fun together."