'I'm just a disabled kid but I could change the law'

A 17-year-old boy with cerebral palsy said it was a "surreal moment" to have his petition on fire safety debated in Parliament.

Lucas has been campaigning for evacuation chairs to be compulsory in schools after being left "petrified" on his own in his wheelchair in an upstairs room when a fire broke out.

His experience at Hyde High School in November inspired him to launch his #NoStudentLeftBehind campaign to improve fire safety for disabled students.

"I'm just a disabled kid from Manchester and I am possibly changing the legislation. It's amazing," said Lucas, from Tameside in Greater Manchester.

"I want to see no student being left behind. They should feel safe."

The small electrical fire at his school was quickly extinguished and no-one was hurt but Lucas said he was scared as he did not know the extent of the fire after being told to stay upstairs.

"I was petrified because I know how quickly the fire can spread," he said.

"We all know the biggest killer in the fire is the smoke."

More than 100,000 people have signed his petition for every school and college to have an evacuation chair and training.

His petition has since been debated by Parliament.

"It was just a surreal moment hearing all the MPs to say my name," he said.

"They've done their research about me."

Jacob Collier MP, who sits on the Petitions Committee, said it was positive that the Minister [for Schools Standards Catherine McKinnell MP] committed to meeting with Lucas.

"He's done really well to get that commitment from the Minister and I think it's great that the government is open also to acting on this so that we can ensure that disabled children are safe in school."

Lucas has joined forces with the Emergency Group, a company that who provide life-saving emergency equipment including evacuation chairs and defibrillators.

Nick Cox, from the group, said: "I think it's inspiring. It's a story that needs to be told.

"For a 16-year-old boy when he initially started it, to get where we are now, it's unbelievable.

"We have had literally, and I'm not exaggerating, hundreds of people saying to us that they've been in the same situation in schools, colleges, universities.

"It's quite a common occurrence and it shouldn't be, it really shouldn't be."

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