THIS brave Bolton schoolboy is facing a death sentence after being struck down by a rare incurable disease.

Michael Strangwood, nine, is now blind, virtually deaf and is losing his speech, just six months after being diagnosed with the genetic disease adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD).

The courageous youngster, who never complains and is still full of love and laughter, can now only identify people by smell after the disease attacked his brain.

Tragically he is one of only a handful of boys in the country -- girls are not affected -- to fall victim to ALD, a disease featured in the Hollywood film Lorenzo's Oil.

The condition, which affects one in half a million children, means his body does not produce an enzyme which breaks down fatty acids, so gradually impairs his senses.

Medics have forecast that the little boy, who loved football and was a keen Cub Scout member, has only months left before he plunges into a vegetative state.

But today his mum Pamela, 36, spoke of her son's courage as he bears up to a disease which he still does not know is fatal. Fighting back tears she said: "He was a normal boy in January and yet in March you're told your son is dying.

"Just looking at him you would never believe what someone had just told us. This was the little boy we had been playing with at Christmas when he was so excited.

"We've been told that there will be a rapid deterioration, eight months to a year from diagnosis. From there he will be in a vegetative state but from there they cannot tell us when Michael will actually die.

"We couldn't believe that someone was telling us that our child would die. We were being told we only have so long left with our child.

"At the moment every day is different and we're waiting to see what happens with Michael.

"He's now totally blind, he has a tiny bit of hearing and his speech is going. He uses a wheelchair sometimes as his legs get tired. But through all of this our son has still ridden his bike. He's such a special child. He's got the guts and determination and he never ever moans about what's wrong with him.

"All he will say is he's got a few problems. He just laughs and gets on with everybody. He's such a happy and loving boy and makes you laugh.

"On a Sunday morning he used to come upstairs with a cup of tea and slice of toast for us. If you were ill he would write a card telling you to get well.

"These are the things which hurt so much. He was still writing cards for us to get better, but he's dying. He just thinks about other people." The family were hit by the bombshell in March after concerns about Michael's health grew when he began experiencing hearing problems noticed by his parents and teachers.

A series of tests showed that nothing was wrong with his ears and the youngster underwent further tests and a brain scan at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

In March Pamela and Paul, 32, were called in to speak to genetic disease specialists who broke the terrible news to them.

The couple were then forced to wait to see if their other son Andrew, seven, was also a carrier of the genetic disease. Thankfully the tests proved negative.

Since then Michael's condition has worsened, but fund-raisers at the Astley Bridge Asda store where his mum worked and family members in Leamington Spa, collected money to pay for a dream holiday to Disney World for the family.

Even though Michael's sight had begun to deteriorate the little boy was still able to see Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck at the Florida theme park. And amazingly, the plucky boy is still attending St Paul's Primary in Astley Bridge, arriving for the first day of term this week and insisting he walk into the playground rather than be pushed in a wheelchair.

Pamela added: "Even though he was ill Michael could appreciate the holiday. He knew it was Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck. It was a holiday of a lifetime and gave us memories that we will never forget.

"As parents we're so proud of Michael. We don't care if he can walk or not, we love our son and to us he's always the same. He's always Michael, no different."

Now Mrs Strangwood and her husband Paul, 32, who live on the Oldhams estate, Astley Bridge, want to raise the awareness of other parents to the killer disease which featured in Lorenzo's Oil.

The movie tells the true story of a couple's fight to find a cure for ALD, which have helped some young victims. But doctors have confirmed that Michael's disease is too far advanced for that help.

And Mr and Mrs Strangwood paid tribute to family members and work colleagues who have helped them after she was forced to give up work to provide 24-hour care for her son.

Workmates at Paul's works, paper makers Charles Turner on Belmont Road, have donated part of their wages to a special appeal set up for Michael.

And his aunt and uncle Jeff Howarth and Tracey Taylor, based in Leamington Spa, have worked tirelessly to set up the appeal and pull in cash to help Michael, while his Bolton-based grandparents and other aunty and uncle have provided constant support.

Any person wanting to make a donation to the Michael Strangwood Appeal should contact Jeff or Tracey on 01926 833665 or post their donation to: Michael Strangwood Appeal, c/o Camberwell House, 13a Radford Road, Leamington, CV31 1NF.