A TERMINALLY ill schoolboy is living his dream after being chosen to go on the holiday of a lifetime.

Liam Greenwood flew out on an all-expenses-paid trip to Disney World this week, on a specially chartered flight for children with terminal or life-threatening conditions.

The 11-year-old Stanecastle pupil has been diagnosed with Pontocerebellar Hypoplasia (PCH) – a condition caused by mutations in certain genes passed on from parents.

Liam’s mum Claire and dad Martin were dealt the devastating blow of Liam’s illness just weeks after being told their daughter Jessica, 10, also suffers from the rare condition.

Now the Dreghorn couple face losing both their children to the killer disease.

But the family received some good news through the summer when they were told Liam had been chosen to fly to Orlando with charity Dreamflight.

Mum Claire said while she and Martin were nervous, Liam couldn’t wait to board the plane.

She said: “He was so excited, he couldn’t wait to go. As parents we were apprehensive about him going without us, but we had to put our worries and doubts to one side and let him have this chance of a lifetime. Jessica would have gone too but she was too poorly to travel.

“His mentor has kept in touch to say they have arrived and are having a great time, which is lovely to hear.”

Dreamflight, which is run by British Airways took off from Heathrow on Saturday with 200 Very Important Children bound for Florida for the trip of a lifetime.

The children, aged between eight and 14 who come from all corners of the UK, were joined by Paralympic gold-medallist Liz Johnson and a team of volunteers on their very special flight.

Captain Andy Raynes, who operated the flight to Orlando, said: “It’s an absolute honour and privilege to be flying Dreamflight for the tenth year running.

“I leave London as a pilot and arrive as a helper and chaperone, it’s a truly humbling experience.

“What’s even more special is to see how far the children come in such a short space of time – that’s what drives me to come back each year.”

Ahead of the flight’s departure, 15 volunteers were dressed in superhero outfits, while the Air Cadet National Marching Band put on a show-stopping performance. British Airways cabin crew and pilots were also at Heathrow as the children boarded the plane through a magical castle.

For the last 32 years, Dreamflight has been raising funds to to fly children to Florida every year.