A Norwich snooker player who suffers from a rare disability is aiming to pocket his first national title win next month.
David Church, from Lakenham, only started playing five years ago, but has already made a name for himself on the national circuit.
Earlier this year, the 21-year-old, who suffers from Moebius syndrome, made it to the final of the World Disability Billiards and Snooker (WDBS) Manchester Classic competition.
And in June he was seeded as number one in the knockout stages of the WDBS Welsh Open, before being knocked out in the quarter finals by Daniel Blunn, who later won the tournament.
Now, Mr Church is hoping to make it third time lucky as he enters the 2017 Open Disability Snooker Championship in Wolverhampton next month.
Mr Church, who plays at Woodside Snooker Centre, said the sport was more than just a passion. Instead, it allowed him to get away from the troubles of life.
'I love snooker because it's my escape from depression and troubles off the table,' he said. 'I get such a buzz out of the game I've never been so emotionally ingrained in anything like I have with snooker.
'I'd love to go pro, but realistically it's out of my ability. My dream is to make a century which I'm close to and become world disability champion.'
The former Hewett High School pupil plays in the WDBS due to his rare neurological condition, which causes facial paralysis.
He also has a severe leg impairment from an accident in 2013 which saw him ploughed through a brick wall by a car.
'The disability affects my life by people staring, making gestures or comments,' he said. 'But I just do what I do and that's it really.'
Mr Church said he had been studying engineering, but was forced to abandon his studies following the car accident.
He said he had been walking home from Clarke's Snooker Club in Norwich when he was hit by a car on Nelson Street. The force of the impact knocked him unconscious and broke his tibia.
On August 23, Mr Church will be travelling to Germany to compete in the Paul Hunter Classic at the Stadthalle in Furth.
Then, on September 22 to 24, he enters the WDBS open championship.
Have you overcome adversity to achieve your dream? Email luke.powell@archant.co.uk
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