AN INSPIRATIONAL Radcliffe man who was told he would never be able to walk has aced his first triathlon.

Liam Crompton was diagnosed with cerebral palsy aged eight months, but defied the odds and doctors predictions to walk by 18 months.

The condition, which is a type of movement disorder, has left him right hemiplegic, meaning he cannot use his right arm.

However this has not stopped the superhuman 28-year-old who has been an avid athlete since childhood.

His mum Janet, aged 55, from Tottington, said: "Liam just got up one night and started walking in the bedroom.

"We were gob smacked because they said he would never walk, and from then on he wanted to do everything a normal child would.

"At three-years-old we taught him to ride a bike and a motorbike and he also did swimming at school.

"For someone who was told they wouldn't be able to walk he has gone from strength to strength.

"He also does a lot of mountain and road cycling with me. We are always out together."

Despite having no muscle tone in his right leg Liam has trained to be able to run over 10km as well as swim, cycle and mountain bike, pounding the streets and going up hill and down dale.

His hemiplegia means he rides the bike solely left handed using only one brake, and often has no hands on the handle bars to change gears, drink water or eat energy gels.

In November Liam decide he wanted to give triathlon a go and began training for the recent Rossendale Triathlon.

Mrs Crompton said: "He got in with a group of friends who he biked with. Then his friends Brett Norris and Chris Hughes have been swimming and cycling with him, teaching him to ride a bike properly, and gave him the inspiration to do triathlon."

During the gruelling event Liam first swam 400 metres at Marl Pitts Leisure Centre, before hopping straight on his bike to pedal 21km over the Pennines and finishing with a 5km run over trails and roads.

Janet said that she and his father were both very proud of Liam, adding: "The bike ride is all up really really steep hills and he was he was overtaking people as well. He was really good.

"He did it in a really good time especially for someone with only one hand.

"To do a triathlon as a disabled person is a big achievement I think."

Liam now has plans to more triathlons of increasing difficulty and distance with the aim of doing an Iron Man in the near future.

Janet said: "Liam has got the triathlon bug now. The next thing for him is open water swimming, then building himself up from 10km runs to half marathons and marathons before doing an Iron Man in the next couple of years — which will be a big achievement if he does that."