LITTLE Sam England absolutely adores animals.

But four-year-old Sam was so ill with eczema that the animals on his mum and dad's farm were absolutely out of bounds.

That was until his mum Tracy discovered a newly developed cream that has transformed Sam's life and made his dream of playing on the farm come true.

"Sam developed eczema when he was just six months old and ever since then it has been really bad," said Tracy, of Bradley Hall Farm, Goldacre Lane, Great Harwood.

"We used to have to bandage him up and his skin was all red, itchy and blistered.

"Sam couldn't come outside on the farm with me and his sister Abigail because coming into contact with the animals made his eczema really bad.

"We got a puppy once but had to get rid of it after two weeks because of Sam." "We tried everything to improve his condition. He went to doctors, specialists, herbalists, allergy experts, and we tried all sorts of creams, special diets and tablets, but nothing worked."

Last year Sam's mum and dad John got in touch with Rochdale Eczema Support Group, which recommended a new cream.

Tracy said: "The change has been fantastic. Sam still suffers a little bit with eczema, but everyone who meets him says he is a different child. And the best thing is that he can feed and stroke the animals at last."

The cream acts as a barrier on Sam's skin and restores its natural resistance so now he can play just life all his pals at St Bartholomew's Primary School, Great Harwood.

Sam, who has a seven-year-old sister, Abbi, said: "I like playing with the lambs and sheep the best.

" I don't feel ichy all the time like before. I can hold and stroke all the animals now, just like my sister can."

Picture: Sam, with mum Tracy, gets to pet Larry the lamb