A schoolboy who lost his hands at the age of three after contracting a rare infection has been fitted with a £30,000 bionic limb.
10-year-old Alan Gifford from Swansea had to have both his hands amputated seven years ago and has since been unable to take part in the activities that most youngsters enjoy.
But now he has been fitted with an i-Limb, a robotic hand joining onto his right wrist, controlled by muscle signals, which in turn open and close the hand's life-like fingers.
Alan’s mother Hannah Jones, 32, said: “It's made a huge difference to his life - he's more confident.
“He's now able to write one-handed, he's able to ride a bike and he's able to eat with a knife and fork, which is something he's always wanted to do.”
Alan is the second-youngest person ever to be fitted with the i-Limb.
His family now hopes to raise enough money for him to be fitted with a second bionic hand.
The i-Limb is manufactured by US-based firm Touch Bionics.