A gold medallist in basketball has been nominated for a Parliamentary award by Watford MP Richard Harrington.

David Bernard, from Watford, was nominated by Mr Harrington for the ‘Kids Count Inspiration Award 2019’ following his gold medal win at this year’s Special Olympics in Abu Dhabi.

Mr Bernard has learning difficulties and autism, but that did not stop him playing a key role in team GB’s success.

The team took victory against a tough American side in the final, with spectators including Hilary Clinton.

Mr Bernard’s family said: “We are immensely proud of Daniel and the entire Special Olympics GB men’s basketball team. All the players and coaches have trained tirelessly to reach this moment. The Gold medal is deservedly theirs.”

Mr Harrington was keen to nominate Mr Bernard for the award given the difficulty he has overcome to represent his country on the world stage.

He said: “It’s my absolute pleasure to nominate Daniel as Most Inspirational Young Person as he is a great credit to our community in Watford and a true patriot.

“His remarkable achievement is a true inspiration to young people in our area, particularly those like him who have disabilities.

“His success shows that with dedication and perseverance, you can achieve anything that you set your mind to, irrespective of any obstacles you might face.”

Kids Count charity works to find solutions to issues that affect young people and use the awards as an opportunity for MPs to recognise individuals and organisations that inspire others in their communities.