A young footballer whose sporting dreams were ended by a rare medical condition is staying optimistic despite the prospect of spending Christmas in hospital.

Three years ago, Callum Fullarton , who turns 15 this week, was regularly winning man of the match awards as captain of youth team Cholsey Bluebirds, which plays in the Oxford Mail Boys’ League.

However, a growth plate injury which began affecting his hip in 2006 has left the schoolboy facing a fifth operation on December 22.

The condition has left Callum with one leg 3cm longer than the other and in April he will undergo a permanent hip replacement operation.

However, Callum of Stort Close, Didcot, said: “The last three years have been hard, but people out there have problems 10 times worse. I don’t count myself as lucky, but it’s not half as bad as some people have to put up with.”

Callum started suffering from sharp knee pains a month after joining St Birinus School, Didcot, but the pain was diagnosed as ligament damage by doctors.

It was only when he was left in agony after falling off his bike in January 2007 that medics identified his condition.

In most adolescents, the soft growing tissue at the end of long bones gradually closes and is replaced by solid bone.

But when Callum had a big growth spurt over a short period, his hip became dislocated and his growth plate tissue was fractured.

Callum said: “It was horrific. I had never felt anything like it before. It was all up and down my leg like someone was stabbing me. It was really, really painful.”

Surgeons inserted metal pins and plates into Callum’s leg three times to help him regain mobility, but the operations were unsuccessful.

The surgery starved his hip of a quarter of its normal blood supply, leaving his left leg shorter than his right.

He spent his 14th birthday in hospital recovering from a fourth operation, and will be back under the surgeon’s knife next week.

Callum added: “I was originally told I would be on crutches for six weeks, have a bit of physio, then get back to playing football.

“They even said I would be able to run quicker than before. Things just started going downhill from there.”

Didcot Rotary Club recently named Callum as the St Birinus Pupil of the Term.

He said: “I was really happy. I was used to winning sports trophies, but since then, I haven’t won anything.”

His dad John, 45, said: “His sporting dreams are totally gone. You hear that it is not life-threatening, but we didn’t even know it was going to be life-changing.

“Throughout, he has been absolutely fantastic. He is the nicest guy you will ever meet, and so down to earth. Sometimes it gets him down, but he just gets on with it.”