It was a day he'll never forget.

A FIVE year-old was granted his wish to become a sea captain for the day as Condor Ferries welcomed him and his classmates aboard.

Blake Mancinelli was all smiles and giggles as he sat, smartly dressed in his captain's uniform, at Captain Lisoire's chair and was shown the ropes of what it takes to be a real captain.

Blake suffers from a condition called medulloblastoma, which is a type of brain tumour that mainly affects children and Blake has tumours in both his brain and spine.

Blake's father, Shawn Mancinelli said: "Blake is just a typical boy, he loves anything masculine so this is just perfect for him.

"He initially thought we were going on board a pirate ship, which kept us all amused.

"He has been really excited about coming on here and it's brilliant that we have had the chance to do this. The staff here have made a huge effort and he will really enjoy the day."

The day-trip onboard Condor Express came about as a result of the company's Christmas Wish initiative, which involves staff voting for those they deem worthy of a reward.

Condor Ferries employee, Emma Stone, who has a daughter in the same class as Blake, nominated him to have his wish granted, alongside his parents, siblings and classmates.

Staff at Condor Ferries said they were happy for Blake and his classmates to come and take advantage of the ship while it was docked and get some first hand experience on life at sea.

Captain Lisoire took the pupils on a tour of the ferry, including a visit to the bridge to learn all about the destinations Condor sails to, such as the Channel Islands and France, before enjoying a delicious lunch onboard.

Captain Nick Lisoire said: "It's a real privilege to have the kids on board today and show them around the ship and give them an insight into life at sea. I know they have a lot of activities planned and I hope they all thoroughly enjoy their day."

With the assistance of his classmates, who too had the opportunity to dress up as sailors, boat engineers and stewards, Blake enjoyed blowing the ships horn and having a go at using the intercom system, with his proud mother Llian close by taking snaps of the families memorable occasion.

Blake's teacher at the infant school, Mrs Carol Marsh said: "Blake is a delightful member of the class, he is very enthusiastic and has a fantastic sense of humour. He loves to sing and dance in his wheelchair and has a great circle of friends and what's wonderful is that he doesn't let his illness get him down."