A TEENAGER is looking forward to swimming with dolphins again to help boost his learning skills.

Adam Foulkes, who was born with Down's Syndrome, hopes to return to America in October to swim with dolphins as part of a special treatment which helps his speech and concentration.

The 15-year-old, from Molyneux Road, Westhoughton, enjoyed regular trips to Key Largo in Florida when he was younger, but has not been able to go for more than two years because of a serious ear infection.

Adam, who is a pupil at Two Porches School, in Atherton, had an operation on his right ear at the Royal Bolton Hospital earlier this month.

If the procedure is successful and he makes a good recovery, his mother Diana will be busy fundraising to take him to the States during the autumn half-term.

Adam, who is a Manchester United fan, has become a well known character in Westhoughton thanks to his family's regular fundraising efforts.

Each time he has visited Key Largo his mother has noticed a significant change in his concentration with him being able to pronounce words much more clearly, learning to tie his shoelaces and improvement in his recognition skills.

Despite not having visited America since autumn 2000, Adam, who has an 18-year-old sister called Kelli and a brother Louis, aged nine, still talks about the dolphins and loves watching anything on television or video which shows the sea.

Diana said: "Adam is coming on leaps and bounds all the time. But he still needs to improve his concentration and working with the dolphins again could just make the extra difference for him."