THE UK’S first diabetes-inspired comic book, created in Hampshire, has received a national award.

Based on the title of hit Marvel series Wolverine: Origins, the comic, Type 1: Origins, features the story Gary, who comes to terms with his diagnosis and his “special powers”.

The comic book was created to help young patients understand the condition and has been downloaded almost 6,000 times since its launch in October 2016.

Now it has been named winner of the ‘Diabetes Collaboration Initiative of the Year – Children, Young People and Emerging Adults’ category at the Quality in Care (QiC) awards.

Judges called the comic “a breath of fresh air” and added: “It is easily accessed and easy to use, being cost neutral. Very creative and innovative, covering new ways of presenting information making it very appealing to all ages.”

Dr Patel, who is based at Southampton General Hospital, worked at the project in partnership with Dr Partha Kar, of Portsmouth Hospitals NHS Trust with the support of patients and Revolve Comics.

Dr Patel said they had received “fantastic” feedback from readers.

“We have also found for those readers who are newly-diagnosed, they feel more empowered to look after themselves if not already and understand it is possible to live a long, healthy life with type one diabetes,” he added.

Type one diabetes affects around 400,000 people in the UK,