A TEENAGER who wears a pacemaker after doctors discovered he had an irregular heartbeat has won a prestigious art award for work inspired by his condition.

Craig Loveday, 17, used the pacemaker as inspiration for his entry to the Wellcome Trust's Imagine photography competition.

The exhibitors were challenged to create work based on how science is changing our lives.

His entry, which was one of four from Swindon College, to win awards, featured a photograph of him, bare chested with a diagram of a heart and pacemaker drawn alongside his pacemaker scar.

Graphic design student Craig, who lives in Park South, said: "I found out last May that I had an irregular heart beat.

"Before I was diagnosed with the heart condition kept passing out.

"I went to one doctor who told me there was nothing wrong with me and then I went to hospital and had lots of tests done for conditions like epilepsy.

"Then one doctor suggested there might be something wrong with my heart and tested me with a heart monitor.

"It was scary at first to be fitted with a pacemaker and my parents were quite worried because I was so young.

"But its fine now and I'm pleased with the result.

"I wanted my photograph to show how science has changed my life and what has happened to me as an individual.

"I'm pretty chuffed about winning the award.

"And we got to go to an awards ceremony in London with free champagne and canaps."

Daniel Jordan, 18, also won an award for a photograph inspired by Craig's pacemaker.

He took a photograph of Craig then airbrushed out his pacemaker scar and printed a bar code onto his chest.

Daniel who lives in Swindon town centre, said: "My photograph shows how science makes people better.

"The bar code represents how genetic engineering can create new people so almost makes products out of people."

All the students that took part in the competition are on the National Diploma of Graphic Design course at Swindon College.

The students' work is currently being displayed at the Royal Albert Hall in London where they attended an awards ceremony.

Diana Milne