Schoolboy Luke Hussey refuses to let his disability get the better of him.

Despite suffering from the muscle-wasting disease Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, he plays for a wheelchair football team and helps out at a Beaver group.

Amazingly, the 14-year-old from Hempstead has just got his bronze Duke of Edinburgh award in which he completed two treks of 10km and 15km. Now he wants to progress to the silver and gold levels of the scheme.

But to undergo the rigorous course he needs an all-terrain chair as his wheelchair gets stuck in the mud.

Since Luke was diagnosed at the age of four, parents Paul and Julie have raised £80,000 for Muscular Dystrophy UK.

Mr Hussey, 47, a mechanical design engineer, has swum the English Channel and Mrs Hussey, 45, has run the London Marathon as well as half-marathons.

Now their efforts are focused on raising £17,500 for a specially-powered chair.

The couple, of Hempstead Road, who run the Medway branch of the charity, have so far collected about £8,000 through coffee mornings, raffles and a golf day.

Mrs Hussey said: “Despite his disability Luke does not let things get him down. He loves being in the countryside.

“When he took part in his bronze he was told he could do it indoors, but he chose to do the course outside.”

Luke is working towards his GCSEs at Rochester Math School and hopes to study zoology at university.

In his spare time he helps out the 20th Gillingham Scout Group’s Beaver colony. An Arsenal supporter, he’s passionate about football and plays for the Invicta Powerchair Football Club,based at Medway Park.

Luke underwent a major operation last year to insert metal rods in his back to help his posture, and had surgery on his feet.

His parents are organising a dinner and dance at the St George Hotel in Chatham, on Friday, March 4. Tickets, £30, and are available on 01634 315182 or 07922203515 or email juliehussey@blueyonder.co.uk

To make a donation visit www.gofundme.com/Luke-sChair