A Truro man with Crohn's disease has started a fundraiser to try and achieve his dream of becoming an ambulance driver.

Andy Jenkin, originally from Penzance, is 31 and has struggled with the disease for most of his life, and had his first hospital stay at the age of three.

Despite suffering from chronic pain, it wasn't until much later that doctors diagnosed Andy with Crohn's, a bowel disease with no known cure.

Andy said: "I want to raise awareness of IBD (Crohn’s and Colitis) so if anyone reading my story has the same symptoms they know what to do,

"Please help me change my life and then help me help others in their times of need. Crohn’s disease won’t beat me. May knock me down but I will get back up!"

Crohn's sufferers often experience stomach pain and diarrhoea, and severe cases will have bowel movements up to twenty times a day.

Treatments include the use of steroids and surgery to relieve symptoms and make the disease more manageable, although there is no known cure.

Andy himself underwent surgery to re-route his bowel, and had to give up playing football as a result.

However, he took up refereeing instead and is now a level seven referee.

Whilst working as a security guard, Andy was given training by his company to become an Ambulance Care Officer and started working in a private ambulance.

He fell in love with the job and now has ambitions of becoming a fully qualified Associate Ambulance Practitioner or Emergency Care Assistant.

You can donate money to help Andy pay for his training at: http://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/andyeca1