A north Norfolk teenager whose childhood was blighted by a spinal condition has defied the odds to become one of the top four ranking Army cadets in the county, and is now set to pursue his dream of becoming a full time soldier.

Former Sheringham High School student Jack Holman, 17, was diagnosed with scoliosis – an abnormal curvature of the spine – at the age of 12.

The condition can cause serious problems if left untreated and, to prevent his spine from further damage, the youngster was fitted with a plastic body brace.

Although he had to wear it at school, Jack was allowed to take it off once a week to attend Army Cadet Force meetings at Holt.

'I suppose it did affect my confidence,' he said. 'But I never let it stop me from doing what I wanted to do.

'I have wanted to join the army since the age of four and the cadets did everything for me in terms of confidence and life skills,' he said.

'And, because I didn't have to wear the body brace, it was a bit of an escape.'

After a year of treatment, Jack, who lives with his parents in the grounds of Sheringham Park, decided to stop wearing the brace.

'I had had enough, the doctors agreed it wasn't working and, whereas I wasn't in pain before, it was very painful to wear,' he explained.

Free of the restrictions of the brace, Jack threw himself wholeheartedly into school life and worked his way up the ranks at the cadets, where he took part in activities ranging from kayaking and hill walking, to shooting and rock climbing.

He was initially devastated when, because of his history of scoliosis, he was turned down by the army on medical grounds - but successfully appealed enlisting the help of an ex-RAF doctor and his specialist at Norwich.

Jack, who is hoping to join the Light Dragoons, based at Swanton Morley, is now waiting to be called for trials.

As an added bonus, he heard three weeks ago that he has been made ACF sergeant major for Britannia Company, which covers army cadet detachments stretching from Sandringham to Aylsham.

'It is good to think I am considered to have the potential to take the rank on and to have the chance to teach other cadets what I have learned,' he said.

'It has been a long wait, and, if I get through, my life's goal will be accomplished, so anything from there on will be extra,' he said.

Have you triumphed over illness? Contact karen.bethell@archant.co.uk