THE mum of a little boy with chronic kidney disease who is awaiting a transplant says more understanding is needed of "invisible" disabilities after being challenged by people in shop car parks.

Soon after he was born, Elliot Birchall from Parr was diagnosed with bilateral renal dysplasia meaning that his kidneys didn’t develop properly in the womb, meaning he has chronic kidney disease and is awaiting a kidney transplant.

He is also gastrostomy fed through a mic-key button in his tummy and due to his condition gets leg pain.

Due to this, Elliot’s family has a disabled badge, enabling them to use disabled parking when going places with Elliot, now six.

However, his mum Kirsty says people are often questioning their use of disabled parking at shops, leaving her having to argue and explain.

Mum-of-four Kirsty, 30, said: “I was at Lidl in Blackbrook, and we parked in a disabled space and Elliot was walking just slightly behind, so I turned around and saw an elderly woman looking in our car.

St Helens Star: ElliotElliot (Image: Elliot)

“I waited and watched as she looked at us then looked in the car, and we’ve had this experience a few times now with people checking for a disabled badge, so I said to her ‘yes we do have a badge’.

“She looked shocked then as she was caught out and stopped looking and I put it online.

“No one should have to explain themselves to others, I have always been brought up to respect my elders but being old doesn’t give you the right to a disability parking space.

“Yes, age can mean people end up getting disabilities but young people sadly can be disabled too.

“I think people should be more sympathetic to others and not just assume all disabilities are visible.”