A FOOTBALL crazy teenager from St Albans met his favourite Arsenal FC stars in preparation for a charity run around Emirates Stadium. Elliot Gibbons, 15, has been a Great Ormond Street Hospital patient since he had major open heart surgery aged two and

A FOOTBALL crazy teenager from St Albans met his favourite Arsenal FC stars in preparation for a charity run around Emirates Stadium.

Elliot Gibbons, 15, has been a Great Ormond Street Hospital patient since he had major open heart surgery aged two and despite his continuing health problems, he will run ten laps around Arsenal FC's stadium next Saturday, March 13, for the Be a Gunner Be a Runner challenge.

Junior Gunner Elliot, who lives in Marshalswick Lane, was inspired to run the race when he met his favourite Arsenal FC player Aaron Ramsey last summer, months before the 19-year-old Wales international was stretchered off the pitch with a broken leg during last Saturday's 3-1 win at Stoke.

To help promote the event Elliot, who has been taking daily growth hormone injections for over ten years, also visited the Arsenal Training Ground at London Colney where he met footballing stars Gael Clichy and Pereira Denilson.

The Be a Gunner Be a Runner Challenge is open to anyone and all proceeds from the day will go to towards Arsenal's season-long fundraising target of �500,000 for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children's Charity.

Elliot said that he was looking forward to running the 6.4K fun run and added: "If you're going to be ill, Great Ormond Street Hospital is definitely the best place to be! I am really pleased Arsenal has chosen it as the charity of the season - they are simply the best team in the world!"

To enter the challenge, runners can register for �15 online at www.beagoonerbeagiver.org. All participants are asked to raise at least �100 in sponsorship.