Living with a crippling disability meant Wayne Allingham couldn’t walk when he was a child, and was told he would be confined to a wheelchair for much of his adult life.

But now the 40-year-old struts in six and a half inch heels, after becoming one of the UK’s only disabled drag queens.

Mr Allingham, who uses the alias Sugar when he takes his act to bars and clubs across the county, was born with hemiplegia, a type of cerebral palsy that leads to weakness or paralysis to one side of the body.

It means he only has the use of one hand, experiences muscle pain and weakness in his arm and leg and has also developed dyslexia.

“When I was born I had calipers up to my waist until I was 10. I would mainly crawl around, or drag my legs and was different to the other children" - Wayne Allingham

He said: “I have had it from birth.

“When I was born I had calipers up to my waist until I was 10. I would mainly crawl around, or drag my legs and was different to the other children.

“If it wasn’t for my sisters Carla, Mandy and Karen I wouldn’t be walking now.

“They got me up every day helping me to walk and I owe it to them.

“Even then I was told I would be in a wheelchair by the time I was 30 but I’m 40 now, and I walk in six and a half inch heels.

“It is all about determination.”

His daily regime involves taking nine tablets a day and he has to have botox injected into the muscles in his arm every three months to relax them.

He said: “It is very hard to deal with. There are challenges able bodied people might take for granted. It sounds silly but I can’t peel potatoes, or wash my hair with both hands.

“Tying shoelaces can be difficult until you learn how to adapt.”

Mr Allingham, who lives in Riding Park, Tonbridge, with his partner Paul Creasey, entered the drag circuit 18 months ago, and entertains people with his comedy and music act two or three nights a week. He boasts 45 wigs and 74 dresses.

He raises money and awareness for charity HemiHelp, which supports people with hemiplegia.