A TEENAGE cancer survivor said he does not let losing his leg hold him back after meeting Prince Harry at a prestigious national awards.

Kieran Maxwell, who battled a rare form of bone cancer which forced doctors to amputate his leg, was hailed an inspiration after chatting to the royal at the 2015 WellChild Awards on Monday evening.

Asked what life is like living with a prosthetic leg, the 17-year-old said: “I always think ‘yeah, I’ve lost my leg’, but on the other hand you only get one life and you have to live it the way you want to and live it to the fullest, which is what I’ve tried to do and all I want to do.

“I don’t really care that I’ve lost my leg; I’m still just me.

“When I was sick, I realised I could die at any moment and that’s when I decided not to let losing my leg hold me back.”

Kieran, from Heighington near Darlington, added: “It was so cool to meet Prince Harry and a really big honour, something I will never experience again. He was very down-to-earth and just seemed like a normal guy. We talked about my sporting ambitions and the charities I support and he spotted that I had won a Diana Award."

The teenager, was speaking to The Northern Echo from King’s Cross Station, as he came back from the awards in London where has was presented with the Inspirational Young Person award in the 15 to 18-year-old category.

His mother Nicola said Kieran was ‘gobsmacked’ at meeting Prince Harry during the awards.

The youngster also revealed that actor David Tennant couldn't make it to the event but made a video to congratulate Kieran and Jenna Coleman, the Doctor Who actress, sent a bag full of goodies and signatures from the cast.

He was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma in 2010 when he was 12-years-old. After five months of chemotherapy doctors amputated Kieran’s left leg in order to save his life.

Despite his prosthetic leg, Kieran won gold in a national acrobatics gymnastics competition in 2013. He is now working towards a place in the British Paralympic team in Rio for the 100 metre sprint.

Kieran was picked from hundreds of people across the UK to get the prize, having been nominated by his aunt Rosanne Sanderson.

Prince Harry said of the evening: "The stories we have heard tonight are moving beyond words. It is heartening to hear so many stories of happiness and hope, even through the dark times.”

Other celebrity supporters at the reception included Pixie Lott, Joe Calzaghe, Russell Howard and Alexandra Burke.

The wards were run by WellChild, the national charity for seriously ill children, in association with GSK.