Alan Gifford special Swans visit

Brave young Alan Gifford savoured the dream of every Swans supporter when he enjoyed a visit to meet his heroes last week.

The inspiring ten-year-old, who has been raising funds to buy two functional bionic hands, was treated to lunch with the Swans, a tour of their Fairwood Training Ground, and even a one-on-one training session with manager Garry Monk.

Alan, from Loughor, lost both his hands when he was just three-years-old and is desperate to be able to do things for himself.

The youngster, who was born with a complex heart condition, had to have both his hands amputated after catching an infection following major open heart surgery.

With the help of the Gower and Llwchwr Estuary Lions Club, Alan and his family have so far raised over £30,000 to purchase one bionic hand, while they are continuing their fundraising efforts to buy a second hand within two years.

As he showed on his day with the Swans, Alan doesn't let anything hold him back, but he wants bionic hands to help him become more independent.

"He's had a fantastic morning - the club have been absolutely brilliant," said Lions Club president Dave Williams, who has helped organise race nights, concerts and a trip around the 20 Premier League football stadiums in aid of Alan's fundraising.

"We expected to come and watch a bit of training and get a shirt signed, but what the club has done for him has been absolutely brilliant.

"To play football with Garry Monk is going to make him the envy of everybody in his school.

"It is going to be something he will always remember. All the players have been brilliant with him, and it's been an absolutely first-class day."

For more information about Alan and his fundraising, please visit www.handsforalan.co.uk, while to make a donation to Alan's worthy cause, please head to https://www.gofundme.com/oi9fyk.