Joshua (10) was joined by his parents Darren and Lisa and sister Lauren for the trip, which saw the family presented with the key to a Motability Scheme car.

The football-mad youngster, who had both legs amputated just over a year ago after contracting meningitis, and his family, were driven to London by Mr David Totty, mobility scheme specialist at Perry's Motor Sales Ltd in Accrington Road, which supplied the car.

His mum Lisa said: "It was an experience-and a-half. Josh really enjoyed it. I don't think he knew what to expect. Gordon Brown asked him what his favourite football team was and who his favourite player was. Both Josh and his sister got lots of attention and everyone we met down there knew about Josh. They had all read about him."

Following the presentation the Fords were invited inside 10 Downing Street where they met the Prime Minister's wife, Sarah, and two-year-old son Fraser.

"That made the whole thing feel much more relaxed," said Lisa. "It was all very formal outside. We were told we had to call him Prime Minister and not Gordon Brown and when the doors to Downing Street opened, the nerves just kicked in."

The family then moved on to the Houses of Parliament where they were given a tour and had lunch.

During the trip Joshua made a friend in 29-year-old Cpl Mark Sutcliffe from Peterborough, who lost a leg in a terrorist attack while serving with the Army in Iraq. He was also presented with a motability car, as well as Cassandra Sohal (25) from Merseyside, who is paralysed from the waist down.

Joshua, Mark and Cassandra were just three people from across the country chosen to attend the presentation to mark the 30th anniversary of the Motability Scheme and the milestone of reaching 500,000 cars on the road.

"I would just like to thank the Motability Scheme and David Totty for driving us down there," said Lisa.