Brandon in a sword play with brother Bradley Picture Ref: 77253-52BRAVE Brandon Styles has been selected to attend a star-studded bash in Majorca.

The youngster was one of only six children across the UK chosen to rub shoulders with celebrities such as Laurence Llewelyn Bowen, Nigel Benn and Daniella Westbrook because of his incredible courage in dealing with an illness.

Brandon, of Pearl Road, Middleleaze, Swindon, was born with life-threatening metabolic disorder which only affects 28 other people in the country.

Because he is missing an enzyme from his liver he is unable to breakdown ammonia and has to take medication every six hours.

Doctors have described the five-year-old as "living on a knife-edge" because one minute he can be fine and the next he can be on the verge of slipping into a coma.

Diagnosed with the condition when eight hours old, he spent the first two weeks of his life in intensive care.

The Great Ormond Street Hospital, which has treated Brandon, chose the families to go on the trip to celebrate the launch of the Pirates Adventure a show in aid of its children's charity.

His mum, Nicki, 31, sister Krystal, six, and brother Bradley, seven, will be flown out to the show on May 12.

Mrs Styles, who lost her first son Brett to the disorder six days after he was born, said: "He knows he's off to see the pirates but it hasn't quite sunk in yet that we're going to Majorca.

"The other two, however, are going absolutely mad and we've already got pirate costumes."

When he returns from the trip, Brandon, who attends Salt Way Primary School still faces hospital check-ups every four months.

"If his ammonia levels get too high he becomes all floppy and lethargic and that's when he's got to get into hospital," said Mrs Styles, a barmaid at the Brookhouse Farm pub, Middleleaze.

"Looking at him you'd never guess there was anything wrong with him he's so smiley and happy.

"But at times it has been an horrendous worry especially when he had to be put on a life support machine."

Pirates Adventure is an entertainment show with a blend of West End show, pantomime and circus. It is themed around the antics of a group of infamous pirates.

Matt Forest, senior fundraising executive at Great Ormond Street, which treats more than 90,000 patients a year, said: "Brandon and Nicki are both remarkable people and we're so pleased we can give them this break.

"Nicki's done a lot of fundraising for us in the past and it's nice that we can give her something back."

Mrs Styles is doing a charity walk along the Great Wall of China in October to raise money for the hospital. To sponsor her phone 07949 997188.

Ben Payne