IT is against all odds that he is still here today.

Inspirational Errol Matthews celebrates his 21st birthday on Friday - having exceeded his life expectancy by 15 years.

And Errol wants everyone to know that he has no plans to go anywhere soon!

The former winner of a Daily-Echo backed Power FM Local Hero Award suffers from a terminal heart and lung condition. He was refused a potentially life-saving heart and lung transplant as doctors feared he would not survive another major operation.

Instead of letting his condition get him down, Errol has tirelessly worked to raise funds for Naomi House hospice near Winchester, where he receives respite care. To date he has collected more than £1,000.

He has raised funds through jumble sales, discos and special under-18 dance nights which he DJs himself.

In recent months he has also become a film star featuring in a DVD made by Southampton University student Martin Rowles about how Errol lives with his condition.

They hope the film may help other people in a similar situation to Errol and he will be sending copies out to Naomi House.

"When I was younger my mum got told before I was six I wasn't going to make it," said Errol who lives in St Denys, Southampton.

"I just want to say, I have proved everyone wrong.

"I want to tell everybody that I have made it and I'm going to stay around a little bit longer too.

"The DVD is the sort of thing you would buy in a shop, that's how professional it is."

Errol and Martin now plan to set up a website about the condition pulmonary atresia.

"There may be more people out there with the same condition who might be thinking there is no point carrying on and saying 'I have this condition so let's sit down and mope'.

"That's not how I think. I think 'I have this condition, so what? Let's get on with life'."

Errol has planned two more fundraising discos for the hospice this year to be held in Southampton Guildhall. He also hopes to raise money for Wessex Heartbeat, the charity which supports the cardiac unit at Southampton General Hospital.

Errol's fight has not been easy. So far he has endured eight major operations after his condition damaged his heart and caused his right lung to collapse. However, with such a positive attitude this birthday seems unlikely to be his last.