An aspiring rugby star fears he may have to give up his dreams, as he can’t find a pair of boots big enough to fit his size 16 feet.
At 17, Oliver Stickney, is already a whopping 6ft 7ins tall, and his mother expects him to grow even more before he turns 18 next year.
The strapping second-row forward is a perfect build to follow his dreams of becoming a professional rugby union player.
However, Oliver fears he may never be able to play again if he can't get a pair of boots in his size.
The apprentice PE teacher was a size 15 in a rugby boot - the largest size manufacturers make - but in the last year has moved up to a size 16.
His attempts to squeeze his 13-inch feet into a smaller size have been in vain, and he’s not been able to find boots to enable him to play his beloved sport.
His mum Jo, from Pocklington, East Yorkshire, is now desperate for someone to help him find boots in his size, so the rugby-mad lad can continue playing the sport he 'lives and breathes'.
Jo had written directly to leading sportswear brands, asking them if they could manufacture studded boots to Oliver's requirements, but had not yet had any success, with manufacturers having told her that producing size 16 footwear was not financially viable.
She was now holding out hope that professional clubs might persuade their kit sponsors to help out.
Speaking of her son’s height, Jo explained that on her side of the family, the men were all 6ft 4in or 6ft 5in, with one of Oliver’s uncles having stood at 6ft 9in.
Oliver’s 11-year-old brother Ben is already a size eight and taller than Oliver was at the same age.
Jo hoped that a lack of available shoes in his size wouldn’t prevent her elder son from fulfilling his dream of moving up to the 1st XV when he hit 18.
"We've found out that professional teams with large players get their sponsors to manufacture them specially, but I've spent days emailing manufacturers - they've all said it's not viable for them,” she said.
"I've tried the biggest stockists like Adidas, Nike and Amazon, but hit a dead end."
For everyday shoes, Oliver wears basketball trainers, which are relatively easy to find, but formal styles are also difficult to track down.
Jo added: "We've had a response from a professional player in Australia on Instagram, and I'm hoping teams like Leeds Rhinos and York City Knights might be able to help.
"Pocklington Rugby Club has never had anyone so big play for them before, but the chairman has taken some calls and they're trying to help.”
The family had received a call from a basketball team in Hull who wanted to recruit him, but Jo said it was rugby he enjoyed, and he would be devastated if he couldn’t play anymore.
"It's the only sport his physique lends itself to and there are other tall lads on the team, so he doesn't look out of place,” she said.
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