Having battled with open heart surgery, a teenager from Lanner is now fighting for a place in the national Tae Kwon Do squad.

Simon Richards has already undergone three operations on his heart but next month will be competing against the country's best for a place at the Tae Kwon Do world championships in Korea.

The 15-year-old, a student at Pool School, took up Tae Kwon Do when he was 11 and, despite his heart problems, has not stopped training since.

"Once I got into it, it was like a bug - I couldn't get out of it," he said.

On top of training at home, Simon trains with his squad four times a week and refuses to let his health problems hold him back.

"I can't use it as an excuse anymore, It makes it harder but not too much," said Simon.

When he was eight weeks old Simon was diagnosed with Fallots Tetalogy, a serious condition which involves problems with every aspect of the heart.

Doctors first carried out open heart surgery on the youngster when he was three. It was not totally successful and he was again operated on when he was 11.

Last September, Simon underwent a third operation on his heart but last month, just 12-weeks later, he won every fight he entered at a Tae Kwon Do tournament in Nuneaton.

Simon's results have earned him a place at the world championship trials in Northampton on February 14.

"It's hard to explain, a lot goes on in my mind - am I good enough? Kind of nerves but I can't wait," he said.

Simon will be competing along with other members of his squad against the best Tae Kwon Do fighters in the country as they try and earn a place in the squad that will travel to Korea in September.

He is currently ranked as a black tag and in May will be attempting to move up to a full fledged black belt.

His mother Wendy agreed she was " unbelievably proud" of Simon's achievements.

"Simon's condition makes life very complicated - because of his stamina his progress has not been as quick as it could have - but its more getting there than the time it takes to get there," she said.

Wendy remembers the heart consultant being a little apprehensive at the idea of him starting Tae Kwon Do but gave the go-ahead as long as Simon felt he could cope with it.

Tae Kwon Do is a real family affair for the Richards', with Wendy, her husband Mark and Simon's brothers - Sam, eight and Ben, 13, all as enthusiastic as Simon is about the martial art.

Wendy and Mark will also be competing at the world championship trials in Northampton.

One of Simon's instructors, Chris Peake, said: "It is definitely a great achievement - Simon has got to work a lot harder than the rest of us.