A WIDNES teenager is set to compete this Saturday in the National junior boxing semi-finals - despite a serious illness.

Mollie Fraser, who is from Widnes, has become one of the best young female fighters in the country despite her debilitating type 1 diabetes diagnosis.

Type 1 diabetes involves needing to constantly monitor insulin levels as her body is incapable of producing its own, meaning she has to regularly inject herself with insulin. 

This almost killed Mollie, now aged 15, around the time she was first diagnosed, with the unpredictability leaving her life consistently affected by this. 

Today, however, Mollie is the team captain for Halton Boxing club, and has the chance to become a national champion in her age group. 

Fighting out of Halton Boxing club, she will fight Ellie Newell in the semi-finals on Saturday, before going on to fight Lily Simmons in the final if she wins.

Mollie’s head coach, Tom Cavanagh, said that despite her diagnosis she is still training five times a week, and able to compete with the boys and "beat them up".

"I am so proud of Mollie, win lose or draw she’s an inspiration to everyone out there with life changing disabilities. When she was first was diagnosed with diabetes it nearly killed her. Now she is competing against the best boxers in the country.”