A SCHOOLBOY who has fought his entire life to overcome the effects of profound deafness was yesterday presented with an award after being named among the country's bravest children.

Nine-year-old Adam Churchman was presented with his award by the Duchess of Cornwall in a star-studded ceremony at Westminster Abbey.

The youngster, from Wingate, County Durham, was one of nine young people honoured at the annual Women's Own Children of Courage awards, attended by celebrities including Fiona Phillips, Dean Gaffney, Myleene Klass and Anthony Andrews.

Afterwards, Adam said his favourite moment had been when Camilla presented him with the medal - and meeting Prime Minister Tony Blair and his wife, Cherie, for breakfast at Number 10.

His mother, Deborah Churchman, 39, said her son was totally overwhelmed with the honour.

She said that despite her son being faced with the prospect of being in a silent world, he has remained in mainstream education and has "come out top stream in everything".

The Very Reverend John Hall, dean of Westminster, told the children he knew hearts would be warmed by the courage they had shown and he hoped their example could be followed.

He said: "Courage is a key human virtue."

Adam was born profoundly deaf and, although he learned sign language as a toddler, he endured six years of painful infections and hospital visits to help him regain his hearing.

His first hearing aid was fitted when he was three months old and he received his first implant before he had reached three.

However, disaster struck in February when, after an ear infection, his electronic implant failed and he was thrown back into a world of silence.

His mother and father, John, were determined to keep their son in mainstream education at Wingate Primary School and began to teach him sign language again.

He has also learned lip reading and auditioned for his school nativity play - even though he cannot hear his own voice.

When the award was announced last month, Mrs Churchman told The Northern Echo: "He is amazing and is always smiling."