A young amputee has been invited to join the GB Junior Squad.

Rio Woolf, 7, from Bushey Heath, who is a pupil at Hartsbourne Primary School, Bushey, received an email from Owen Coyle Jr the development coach for the England Amputee Football Association (EAFA) inviting him to join the GB Junior Squad.

This is the first ever junior camp hosted by the European Amputee Football Federation in Dublin from March 4 to 6.

Rio plays football two to three times a week at David Lloyd in Bushey and he has now also started training with The London Amps – a London-based amputee football team who run training sessions.

The London Amps run sessions for the juniors with the seniors in every school holiday at the Arsenal Hub and Rio is looking forward to their next session as it will be with Watford FC at Westfield Community Sports Centre on March 12.

Rio’s mum Juliette Woolf said: “We are so proud of Rio, especially as we later found out that his name had been put forward to the EAFA by James Catchpole who runs The London Amps.

“Rio had only attended one training session but James said that he had suggested names of boys who seemed keen and that no one is keener than Rio.”

He is one of only 12 amputee footballers aged between 7 and sixteen to be selected from Great Britain to attend this event and the squad will participate in various training sessions and matches with other nations such as Ireland, Belgium, Russia, Spain and Turkey.

At the end of the three day event, the boys will be presented with certificates and medals.

According to his mum, Rio is a football fanatic and a huge Watford FC fan.

Rio was given the chance to switch on the Christmas lights at intu Watford with his Hornets hero Troy Deeney in November 2014 after he won Watford’s Local Hero.

He was also given the opportunity to be a Watford FC mascot in April last year for the match against Birmingham City.

“It was a dream come true for him. He was so proud to lead the team out onto the pitch at Vicarage Road for their match against Birmingham City in April last year,” Mrs Woolf said.

Rio's parents are raising money to provide his future lightweight prosthetic limbs.

To donate visit: http://www.justgiving.com/run-rio-run or for more information visit: http://www.run-rio-run.co.uk; follow Rio on: www.facebook.com/RioWoolf; www.twitter.com/@BladeBoyRio; www.instagram.com/bladeboyrio