Poole: 'My toddler was told his face looked terrifying'

Finley gets picked on because of his looks, according to his dad, Keith, and mum, Gemma

A two-year-old is fronting a campaign to help challenge the stigma around children with facial differences.

Finley from Poole, Dorset, was born with lymphangioma, a rare condition which causes swelling around his face.

His family said they were often confronted by people making hurtful comments - but were determined to show that beauty comes in many forms.

He has joined a campaign for charity Changing Faces that fights prejudice against those with visible differences.

Finley's mum believes there is a huge problem with bullying directed at people who "look different"

The swelling makes breathing difficult because it blocks his airways, so Finley has a tracheostomy tube which sits in an opening in his windpipe.

But his mum Gemma said she thought his chubby cheeks made him look "really cute".

"He does stand out from other children," she said, adding: "We have to brace ourselves before we go out, every single time."

The family often get stared at, with some teenagers once even telling Finley he looked "terrifying".

"We've had some pretty horrible experiences where Finley's been chased around, pointed at and called horrible names," Gemma said.

Changing Faces is a charity which works to spread awareness about people with facial differences

Finley needs carers through the night and the couple are struggling to find a nursery to accommodate his medical needs.

But Gemma said he was otherwise "just a fun-loving, little two-year-old boy".

"Finley is just a normal child - he just wants to play and have fun and make friends like all the other kids," she said.

The family received support from Changing Faces when Finley was younger, and said they felt he was a good front for the campaign.

At least 1.3 million children, young people and adults in the UK are estimated to have significant disfigurements, according to the charity.

That includes 569,000 people with facial disfigurements.

Gemma said: "We just want to help the charity to challenge the negative views of people with physical differences that still exist in the media.

"We all have unique features - Finley's are just a little bit different."