A YORK teenager whose deafness was not diagnosed until he was nine is determined to make up for a "lost" education by proving his potential.

Lloyd Elliff, who now has his sights set on becoming a plumber, is the first to admit he struggled at school.

But, unbeknown to him, he had a hearing impairment which amplifies background noise and makes conversation difficult to pick up.

As a child he found it difficult to follow lessons and lost interest in his studies.

"Teachers would be walking around the room and I couldn't tell what they were saying. Teachers shouted at me but I didn't hear them," said the 18-year-old, who lives in Carr Lane, Acomb.

"I didn't realise I had hearing problems. I just lived my life."

When Lloyd was nine a doctor carried out hearing tests on a school visit and realised he had an impairment.

Recalling the day he wore his first hearing aid, Lloyd's mum, Janice, said: "We went outside York Hospital and he said 'Mummy, I can hear the birds singing'."

She said she had suspected Lloyd had hearing difficulties from an early age, but struggled to convince others.

"When he was 18 months old, I was cleaning the kitchen and he was sitting on the floor. I dropped a plate just behind his back. It smashed. He wasn't at all bothered.

"Anyone else would have jumped.

"No one took me seriously," she said. "People said he was very young and you couldn't tell at that age."

Lloyd, one of four children, said the aids in those early days made background noise even louder.

But he was told to get used to them. The digital alternative was too costly.

Lloyd said: "All those years going through school, I just couldn't wear them.

"They stuck out so much and caused eczema.

"They made me really angry because people were always looking at me and there was really loud background noise all the time. They weren't part of me."

Mrs Elliff said: "I could see him getting depressed and demoralised.

"I re-mortgaged my house last year and paid £2,800 to go private and pay for a digital hearing aid.

"If you could see his face the first time he wore it, it was amazing. He said: "Mum this is incredible".

Lloyd now has his hopes pinned on embarking on an NVQ course in plumbing at York College in September.

First he has to find an employer to give him his break as he needs somewhere to ply his skills when not in the classroom.

So far his efforts have failed, and Lloyd is worried that time is running out to find a placement.

"If I don't get an employer I will have to wait another year for the course. But I want to do the course," he said.

"If there's something I really want to do I put everything I have into it."

Updated: 10:50 Tuesday, August 17, 2004