Ice hockey dream for Wolverhampton boy with rare condition

Bayley said he wanted to play ice hockey for Britain when he was older

A boy who has faced seven operations for a rare condition says he dreams of playing ice hockey for Britain.

Doctors found Bayley, 10, from Wolverhampton, had severe blockages to his bladder when he was six weeks old.

Despite needing several procedures, medics told him he could still play sports and Bayley found his love of ice hockey watching a game in Telford.

"My dream is to play for the Telford Tigers and to make it to the Great Britain team," he said.

When he was first diagnosed, his mother Tracey said his family was worried he might lose a kidney due to the severity of the condition.

"As his mum, I just knew something wasn't right. It was such a hard time, and a long recovery for Bayley," she told BBC Radio WM.

"It has been hard, but the support of the nurses and our family as well has been great."

The 10-year-old decided he wanted to play ice hockey after watching a Telford Tigers game

The operations resulted in surgeons at Birmingham Children's Hospital creating a tube from Bayley's bladder to his belly button so he can urinate using a catheter.

"Bayley has come on leaps and bounds. He can manage the catheter himself and doesn't have to worry about his bladder as much any more," Tracey said.

The youngster said he loved sports, but was upset when he thought his condition would stop him playing like others.

"It was a worry he would not be able to do certain things other children could but he's just been told to live life to the full," Tracey said.

Bayley plays for the Telford Tigers' under 12s team and says his dream is to play for their adult side and then internationally.

"Team GB are really good. I really want to do it. I've got loads of friends and we all support each other," he said.