A PROMISING young sportsman is hoping to bring his game into sharper focus with a special pair of sports goggles.

Daniel Diggins has suffered from an eye condition since he was a baby, but that has not stopped him playing football and rugby — and he has even been spotted by Liverpool FC academy scouts.

Now Daniel, aged 11, feels that his eyesight is hindering his progress, and that it is threatening to end his footballing career before it has begun.

He is a member of Moss Bank Juniors FC and plays football and rugby for Sharples School, but he has to wear his glasses whenever he is on the football pitch.

He takes them off to play rugby, but his dad, John Diggins, says this may be as dangerous as playing wearing glasses because he cannot see properly.

When Mr Diggins told his friends about Daniel at his local pub, The Colliers Arms in Chorley Old Road, the staff and regulars decided they needed to take action.

The pub is now holding a 24-hour games marathon to raise enough money to buy Daniel a special pair of goggles.

The goggles, similar to the ones worn by former Dutch international Edgar Davids, cost more than £200.

About 25 regulars at the Colliers Arms will stay up all night playing pool, darts and dominoes, starting at 7pm tonight and finishing at 7pm tomorrow night to raise the cash.

Mr Diggins, of Frank Street, Halliwell, said: “These goggles will help him a lot. It’ll make a hell of a difference to his game, and it’ll make him happier in himself as well. I’m really grateful to the pub for doing this." Daniel’s parents first noticed he had eyesight problems when he was three months old, and as a baby he had to wear an eye patch on one eye to help the other one gain strength.

He was wearing glasses by the age of three, and now has only 40 per cent vision in one eye and 20 per cent in the other