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  • 2 years ago
Credit: SWNS / Dionne Sparkes

A seven-year-old boy born without an arm has been able to hold a fishing rod with two hands for the first time - after receiving a £13,000 bionic limb.

Inspirational Alex Sparkes spent birthdays 'wishing his arm would grow', only to be left heartbroken when he was told it wasn't possible.

But he has been gifted a 'life-changing' prosthetic arm by 'Britain's kindest plumber' James Anderson, 55, who was touched by Alex's moving tale.

Since receiving his Black Panther-themed arm, Alex has been able to put toothpaste on his toothbrush for the first time and will learn how to tie his shoelaces.

And Alex is ecstatic to have finally fulfilled a lifelong dream of holding a rod for the first time during a fishing trip with his dad Robin Sparkes, 31.

The youngster has been pictured reeling in fish with Robin at Cornfield Fisheries in Lancashire.
Transcript
00:00 Hi I'm Robin and this is Alex and we're out today fishing with Alex's new Hero Arm.
00:12 So with his new Hero Arm he's a lot more independent, I don't have to be there by his side all the
00:16 time with the fishing rod or by the bank side because I'm confident in the knowledge that
00:21 he can handle the rod on his own and he's there to catch his own fish as well from now on.
00:30 We're already sort of realising what he couldn't do before as opposed to what he can do now.
00:34 So he's becoming that little bit more independent in and around the house but also outside the
00:37 house.
00:38 So what do you think of your arm so far?
00:39 Amazing.
00:40 Amazing?
00:41 What have you been able to do with your new arm?
00:42 Pick up stuff.
00:43 Pick up stuff?
00:44 We're at the Coinfields Fishery today in Paddy and practising using Alex's Hero Arm to see
00:56 what he can and can't do.
00:58 Hopefully catch a fish.
00:59 Yeah.
01:00 That means that I've just paid for your new arm.
01:01 So you're going to get your new arm.
01:02 Okay?
01:03 Yeah.
01:15 So hopefully sooner rather than later you're going to go fishing with your dad.
01:27 Yay!
01:28 I can't believe it.
01:29 I'm still in shock.
01:30 I've got two hands and a real rod.
01:46 So before I had to constantly be next to him whenever he handled the rod, especially if
01:51 he had a decent sized fish on, just in case the weight pulled on his right arm.
01:56 Whereas now, you know, I can sort of take a little bit of a step back and watch over
02:00 his shoulder as he's fishing instead of just constantly having to manage him all the time
02:03 with it.
02:04 I like that I can hold a rod and reel a rod in land.
02:15 Today I like fishing every single day.
02:26 I'm a fisher.
02:27 I'm a fisherman.
02:28 I'm a fisherman.
02:28 I'm a fisherman.
02:29 I'm a fisherman.
02:30 I'm a fisherman.
02:31 I'm a fisherman.
02:32 I'm a fisherman.
02:32 I'm a fisherman.
02:37 you
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