A FOOTBALL-MAD teenager who is recovering from a heart transplant operation met his heroes at Southend United.

Callum Turner, 15, wasmade a guest of honour by the Blues after undergoing a successful transplant last month at Great Ormond Street Hospital.

The Greensward School pupil was invited to Roots Hall to watch the team train before joining them for lunch.

Callum had to have the transplant operation after suffering a heart attack when he was born.

His mum Donna Turner, 43, from Hockley, said: “It was a really lovely day and so nice of them.

“Callum watched them training for an hour and they chatted with him and had lunch.

“It was good of them to do this before their big match on Saturday. He loved it.

“He met Blues manager Phil Brown when he visited him at Great Ormond Street Hospital last year.

“It’s an exciting time to be a Blues fan and he follows all the games.”

The family had known a transplant was on the cards at some point, but hoped it would be when he was older. Mrs Turner added: “He was fine until he was 11 and then he started getting extra heart beats.

“He had a big operation in 2013 to burn away scar tissue and then in 2014 had a defibrillator fitted to start his heart if it stopped.

“He collapsed at school a month later and we found out he had chronic heart failure.

“They fitted a mechanical heart to help his lungs heal, they had been under too much pressure and he couldn’t have a transplant then because of that.

“The mechanical heart gave them time to get better.”

Callum is still recovering from the operation, but his family hope he will soon be able to live the kind of life most teenage boys take for granted. Mrs Turner said: “It’s going to take time. The first three months are the hardest, but we’ve heard that after a year they really feel better.

“We’ve had wonderful support from family and friends.

“The community really got behind him with happy heart days at Southend United and at fire stations.

“His sister Kiera, who is 12, has coped really well even though it’s been hard for her.

“The doctors and nurses at Great Ormond Street were brilliant and we’d like to say a big thank you to the organ donor’s family. We can plan a future for Callum now, which we couldn’t do before.”

Steve Kavanagh, Southend United’s chief executive, said: “Phil went to see him and they kept in touch.

“We heard he had a new heart and was doing well, so we thought it would be nice for him to come down and watch the team at Roots Hall. He’s someone who’s been through a lot.

“We like to give something back and it’s a privilege to be able to help kids like Callum.

“It’s a gift we have got that doesn’t cost us anything to give them.”

* Mrs Taylor will be taking part in the RBC Race for the Kids on Sunday, June 7, to raise money for Great Ormond Street Hospital.

To support the fundraiser visit events.gosh.org/site/TR/RBC RacefortheKids/General?team _id =14140&pg=team&fr_id=1130