A RECORD-breaking swimmer who had both of his legs and an arm amputated as a toddler, is due to compete in the Tokyo Paralympics later this month.

Lyndon Longhorne, from Crook, County Durham, will make his debut Paralympic appearance at the upcoming games – something he has always dreamed of.

He previously missed out on the Paralympics more than once, but refused to give up.

The Northern Echo first reported on the swimmer in 1996 when he had defied medical expectations and survived first a terrible strain of meningitis and then a series of operations on his limbs.

His story touched many, many people who raised money to pay for artificial limbs.

He contracted the disease as a nine-month-old and septicaemia meant doctors needed to amputate his right leg above the knee, his left leg below the knee, his right hand and the fingertips on his left.

However, despite this his grandfather introduced him to pool swimming at the age of one, and in 2011 at the age of fifteen, he was competing at his first national championships.

He was inspired to swim competitively after watching the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

The swimmer said: "I decided at an early age that my disability was not going to hold me back, this is when I took to swimming and have never looked back."

Five years ago, the swimmer visited Downing Street as part of a campaign for Government to make available a vaccine for Meningitis B to children of all ages.

Months later, he took part in the British International Paralympic Swimming Championships in Glasgow where he twice broke the British record for the 50 metres breaststroke.

Following his success, he said: "I can't believe how well I did.

"I set out to do just as well as I could and try to get some personal bests. But I felt good on the day and I broke the British record in the heats – and then did even better in the final."

The Derwentside Amateur Swimming Club athlete now boasts eight British Para-Swimming long course records after a series of fast swims in 2021 – those performances ultimately secured his nomination for a first international appearance for Great Britain at the games.

He was also celebrated last year when he was crowned the overall champion of the last 20 years at The Northern Echo’s annual Local Heroes Awards.

Despite challenges brought by the pandemic, when the swimming pools were locked, he trained in the sea and continued to work hard.

Following the announcement he had been selected for the paralympics, his swimming club honoured his determination and talent.

A spokesperson from Derwentside Amateur Swimming Club said: "We have had just the most fantastic news this morning confirming Lyndon Longhorne is going to be heading to Tokyo.

"It just shows that dreams do come true and hard work and dedication does pay off.

"Lyndon is such an amazing young man and a fabulous role model to everyone involved in the club. We couldn’t be any prouder and cant wait to watch him living his dream."

Besides his many swimming accolades, Mr Longhorne is a former Olympic Torchbearer, a Meningitis Now ambassador and in 2016, became the first quadruple amputee model in the UK.