A YOUNG man is breaking boundaries in more ways then one as he makes a bid for fame.

Ben Pelham, 21, is a keen breakdancer and hip-hop rapper who has been wowing crowds with his performances and has landed appearances in TV adverts, documentaries and even EastEnders.

Ben, from Riverside Walk, in Colchester, has done all this despite having Down’s Syndrome.

James Southgate, who is one of Ben’s personal assistants paid for by Essex County Council, says he has a real lust for life.

James said: “He’s pretty uninhibited and just wants to have a good time, so people really warm to that.

“When he gets going, he really does let himself go and has fun.

“The way we work with Ben is he tells us what his dreams and aspirations are, and we do what we can to help him achieve them.

“We never approach things with the attitude that it’s unachievable.”

The money from the county council allows Ben to take charge of how he gets the support he needs, and he was even able to interview candidates for the three part-time roles himself.

A self-confessed “party-animal”, Ben has performed dance routines in front of large audiences at dance events and dominated the dance floor at nightclubs around town.

He is also preparing to make his own hip-hop record and music video.

Ben was not always as confident, as he had to overcome adversity and stand up to bullies due to the chromosomal disorder, which affects one in 1,000 people born in the UK.

Ryan Jones, another of Ben’s support workers, said: “A few years ago, he was getting really badly bullied where he lived and he is sometimes still wary, which is why he wanted his PAs to be pretty tough and have tatoos.”

With three personal assistants able to take turns escorting Ben around, he is able to pursue his dreams without being hindered by his disability.

In the past 18 months, Ben has also been having break dancing lessons at Colchester’s Slack Space, and often wows crowds in clubs with his dance moves.

By the looks of his latest moves, Ben is on the up.