A LOUGHTON schoolboy was invited to the house of Lords to discuss plans to highlight the suffering of teenagers with Crohn’s disease.

Jonathan Fallman, 17, was diagnosed with the inflammatory bowel disease at the age of 12 and has become a spokesman for other teens suffering from the illness.

Last year, he was asked to give a speech on living with Crohn’s at the annual meeting of the Crohn's in Childhood Research Association (CICRA).

In his inspirational speech, Jonathan said: “I’m not into lists of difficulties, but I do have a list of achievements.”

CICRA chair of trustees Margaret Lee described him as a “real achiever, who will go far”.

The Bancroft School pupil has never let his disease get the better of him and despite missing time at school, still achieved seven A*s at GCSE.

Jonathan’s proud mother Liz said the numbers of young people diagnosed were growing every year but the illness gets very little publicity.

The reception was held on behalf of the inflammatory Bowel Disease Standards Group and the National Association for Colitis and Crohn’s Disease (NACC) to launch new national healthcare guidelines for people who have Crohn’s disease and colitis.

Jonathan rubbed shoulders with a number of celebrities including BBC’s Fame Academy’s Carrie Grant, who also suffers from Crohn’s, at the reception.

His plans for next year include completing his silver Duke of Edinburgh award and hopes to study for a general science degree.