Young Robert Herrett has spent a day in Parliament speaking to MPs to raise awareness of diabetes.

The 10-year-old, from Wilcot, was chosen by type one diabetes charity JDRF to attend Type 1 Parliament on Tuesday last week.

The Woodborough School pupil was one of 60 diabetic people, ten of whom were children, to speak to MPs including Home Secretary Theresa May and Devizes MP Claire Perry.

He said: “I just treated it as a normal day because I thought if I got over excited I might not be able to get the MPs to do all that they can.

“I felt very proud and astonished that I was there.

“The best bit was meeting Theresa May and she told us that she was diagnosed with diabetes 18 months ago.”

The event was aimed at raising awareness of type one diabetes, pushing it up the political agenda and asking the Government to prioritise investment in type 1 diabetes medical research.

“There was so much support among MPs and Lords that we met,” he said.

“All of the MPs promised to write to the Science Minister David Willetts to spend more money on research to help find a cure.

“Claire Perry was amazing in introducing me to lots of influential people so I could tell them about diabetes and the help we need to fight it.”

Robert was first diagnosed with the condition when he was three after becoming ill at the Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford.

He said: “When we got home my Dad rang the NHS helpline. I was then taken to A&E at Salisbury General Hospital and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes.

“It was a real shock as there is no family history. ”