A Formula One fan has had his wish of a new bionic hand fulfilled after a plucky letter to Mercedes team boss Ross Brawn.

Matthew James, a 14-year-old from Wokingham in Berkshire, was born without a left hand.

He had his eye on an i-Limb Pulse from Touch Bionics, a firm in Scotland. His family had raised some money, but nowhere near the £30,000 needed.

Mercedes and Touch Bionics agreed to share technology which is used in both the cars and the bionic arm, and as part of the deal the £25,000 fee to fit the hand and train Matthew to use it was waived.