SCHOOL pupils sent birthday cards to a boy with a rare skin condition after hearing about his plight in an assembly.

Nunnery Wood High School science teacher, Carrie Binnersley, told pupils at the school about 13-year-old Rhys Williams from Bolton who has a rare life-limiting and agonising skin condition. Pupils heard how Rhys was confined to a wheelchair because of severe epidermolysis bullosa, which results in painful skin blisters, sores and has caused his fingers to fuse together.

His mum had pleaded with people to send Rhys birthday cards and well wishes to give him hope - and he received more than 14,000 cards from across the country earlier this month.

Mrs Binnersley launched a competition among year 11 pupils to produce a card from each form. Some year eight pupils also made cars. She said: “The cards produced and the messages the students sent were incredible and so heart-felt. I thought it would be fantastic for him to receive well wishes off those his own age."