Cheerful student Christopher Edmondson, who has bounced back after seven operations and four spells on life support machines, has received the Diana, Princess of Wales, Memorial Award.

The award recognises pupils' outstanding contribution to school life, and Christopher, 13, who suffers from Spinal Muscular Atrophy, is a pupil at Fulford School, York.

He was nominated by teacher Rosie Nash, who is special educational needs co-ordinator at the school, and the award was given to him at a special assembly by Year Nine head, Denis Baker.

Rosie said: "I nominated him because he makes you feel so good. He never moans at all he's brilliant."

A modest Christopher said he was "shocked and surprised" to receive the award.

Christopher's condition means he gets around in a wheelchair, can only move his right arm slightly and can't move his head from side to side.

He said his condition meant that he had had to have seven operations, in hospitals in Manchester, Sheffield and York, one of which involved him having a rod put into his back to support his spine.

He also wears a stiff plastic "jacket" under his clothes to keep him upright.

And he has been on life support machines four times after suffering life-threatening chest infections.

"What might be a normal cold for you, will be a chest infection for me. I'm usually off for about a week, sometimes longer," he said.

But despite missing weeks of school work, and contact with friends, Viv Belton, who accompanies him to lessons four days a week, said he was always in good spirits.

"He is always cheerful and ready to share a joke," she said.

"He doesn't play on his disabilities, doesn't push himself forward or expect special treatment."

Christopher does his homework by dictating to his mum, Gillian, and Viv writes it up for him. When he has been in hospital he makes sure she takes notes so he doesn't fall behind.

Next year he is hoping to take GCSEs and after that A levels, and has just got his maths SATS results which place him in the top 14 in the year.

He is also a keen chess player and follows Wigan in Rugby League and Yorkshire in County Cricket.

Christopher lives with mum Gillian, dad Richard, and sister Emily, eight, at Acaster Malbis.

Updated: 08:47 Friday, June 29, 2001