In a story reminiscent of the Oscar-winning blockbuster The King's Speech, a 15-year-old boy from Bushey has overcome a debilitating stammer with the help of some unusual therapy techniques.

David Schogger, of Chiltern Close, previously became overwhelmed with fear at just the thought of answering his name in the school register.

But a four-day speech therapy course, which was once famously attended by popstar Gareth Gates, changed David's life forever.

From the age of six, the Watford FC fan endured the impediment, which would be brought on most severely in situations where he felt less comfortable – in front of strangers or in public places.

He said: “As a schoolboy, I would wake up every day and panic about having to answer my name in the register – tiny things like that, which people take for granted.

“There was a constant fear over being asked to speak or read something in front of the class. I was lucky, I wasn't bullied at school, but everyday I went through fear and panic, and the stress of GCSEs made it worse.”

The restrictive nature of David's speech had a devastating effect on his day-to-day life.

In particular, the keen cricket player struggled with pronouncing the 'd' sound, a detail that crippled the confidence of the frustrated teenager.

He added: “My own name tortured me for years - it is amazing to be able to say it with confidence now.”

Years of regular speech therapy with various professionals failed to work.

But the increasingly desperate teenager found an intense four-day programme in Cardiff, which pushed him to overcome the trait that had quashed his personality for so many years.

He said: “You can't cure a stammer, we do not have a disease, but the goal is to become an eloquent speaker.

“On this course, we had speech therapy from 7am until 10pm and they took you completely out of your comfort zone.

“It is taught by people who have recovered from stammers themselves – they were incredibly helpful. Gareth Gates even came along to help for the first couple of days – he was a really nice guy.”

During one confidence-building exercise, the course members were challenged to go out into Cardiff's city centre and interact with at least 100 strangers in one afternoon.

David said: “It was scary at first, asking people for the time and things like that, but what I learned was that in our minds we are victims, and we feel like people hate us, but the reality is that people don't mind how we speak.”

As a final test, everyone on the course was invited to give a speech standing on a large soap box in the centre of Wales' bustling capital city.

David said: “It was amazing - I can't stop speaking now. I'm enjoying speaking so much – before, I avoided words altogether, but now, it is nice to be able to say what I want, when I want.

“I'm much more controlled, much more confident and willing to push my comfort zones – this has been the biggest week of my life.”

David attended a course provided by the McGuire Programme. For more information, visit the McGuire Programme website.