A BOY with severe rare allergies who became critically ill days after being born has become a world champion in martial arts at the age of just nine.

Ross Foreman was left fighting for his life not long after his birth and was unable to feed as it became clear that something was seriously wrong.

At just five days old he had to be rushed into intensive care and doctors told his mum Lynn that it was 'touch and go' whether her little boy would pull through.

Mum Lynn, 39, said: “It was horrible to see.

"He was just five days old and so tiny.

"Staff got him on a drip and slowly he got better but he was so dehydrated.

“I remember looking at him all wired up in the incubator.

"The consultant told me he was a strong wee boy and he was a fighter but I just couldn’t see it.”

Ross managed to pull through against the odds and was put on medication until the age of three to help manage his eating.

But his struggles didn’t end there.

Lynn said: “Ross is extremely allergic to lots of things.

"We need to carry an EpiPen autoinjector everywhere we go.

"Peanuts and nut based products are the main trigger for his allergies and twice we have had to be blue lighted to hospital as he has went into anaphylactic shock.

“It is terrifying to see your child like that but the ambulances have been so quick and helpful each time.

"On other occasions his reactions have been less severe and we have managed to drive him up to the hospital.

“Although Ross knows what he can and can’t eat and is careful it is always a worry.

"I struggled to leave him places in case anything happened.”

Despite his allergies Ross never let anything stop him and he quickly grew to love participating in sports.

Lynn said: “We were in the health centre one day for an appointment and I saw a poster for Taekwondo.

"I read about it and thought it was something he could benefit from.

"It was his first venture into sport and the first time I put my trust into someone else and felt confident leaving him.

“From day one he loved it.

"He likes the discipline and the sparring and feels accomplished when he masters it.

“When he started the older children took him under their wing and now I see him doing the same for those younger than him.

“His coach Andrew Hamilton is brilliant, he has really helped him and he is friends with all the other children that go.”

Andrew encouraged Ross to sign up for a world Taekwondo championships recently held the regional Ravenscraig Sports Centre.

Ross managed his nerves to take gold and become a world champion in sparring, green belt and above division.

Lynn says she never imagined that the baby she remembered being so poorly would one day become a world champion.

She said: “Ross was absolutely over the moon to win.

“He was so chuffed he went to bed with his medal.

"Myself, my husband Scott and Ross's sister Erin, 14, are all so proud.

“I never would have thought, even for a minute, that the baby I remember being so small and fragile in the hospital would be a world champion.

“The consultant told me he was a fighter but I struggled to believe him at the time.

"Now Ross is one of the toughest people I know.

"He has surprised everyone with how well he has done and continues to surprise us to this day.

"He is stronger than I give him credit for.”

The determined youngster was over the moon.

Ross said: "I was feeling confident but I was just hoping to get a bronze.

"When I went in and saw all the flags from other countries and hundreds of people I got a little nervous but decided just to try my best.

"When he lifted my hand as the winner I was so happy.

"Getting the gold medal was really exciting and being a world champion feels amazing.

"I am proud of myself and my family, friends and everyone at school and Taekwondo is excited for me.

"Now I have done well in a competition I am going to work to get my black belt and hopefully compete more."

His proud coach Andrew said: “The championships were an amazing success. The standard of competitors was unbelievable. A very high level of skill and technique were on show for all to see, so to come away with medals was unbelievable.

“I really am very proud of all the students for believing in themselves that they can perform at the highest of levels."