A Westhoughton youngster has returned from a trip swimming with dolphins with a new skill - blowing bubbles!

Young Adam Foulkes, who was born with Down's Syndrome, is back home after his third trip to Key Largo in Florida, and his mum Diana is thrilled with his progress.

The 12-year-old, of Molyneux Road, who in the past could only make random noises, can now say "I want to go swimming" in sign language and his memory, listening and awareness skills have also greatly improved.

Adam was also taught how to blow bubbles in an effort to improve the muscle tone in his mouth and since returning from the two-week trip he has taken to blowing out candles at every opportunity!

His seven-year-old brother Louis and sister Kelli, aged 16, also enjoyed the trip to Florida where they took part in educational programmes.

Westhoughton High School pupil Kelli proved to be a great help at the therapy centre as she is adept at sign language.

Mum Diana said: "I'm trying to learn to sign bit by bit, but Kelli is fantastic at it. We've all seen a vast improvement in Adam. As soon as we got there he remembered what to do and ran towards the box containing floats to go in the pool.

"He definitely remembered the dolphins and the American therapists were thrilled with his progress."

His family has been given the unusual task of wrapping Adam tightly in a quilt each night to encourage him to improve his muscle tone by struggling to get out, and Diana has also been challenged to build him a den.

She explained: "He tends to get very over-excited and a bit out of control, so the therapists have asked me to build him a den where he can have his own think-space and just sit and calm down."

Adam needs to have an operation for an infection in his ears at some point over the next few months, but Diana hopes he will be fit enough to return to the States next spring for further dolphin therapy.

She will now be busy fundraising to try and save enough money for the treatment which costs thousands of pounds.