A BOY has developed an obsession with vacuum cleaners due to a rare genetic condition.

Lane Fountain, nine, knows everything there is to know about Hoover’s, Dyson’s and Henry’s because he suffers from Williams syndrome. The condition causes heart problems, developmental delays, and learning disabilities, but sufferers are known for their obsessive behaviours.

Lane, who attends Glenwood Special School in Benfleet, was featured recently on Channel 4 reality documentary The Hotel where he was asked to pick the hotel’s vacuum cleaner fleet. The programme also highlighted the rare condition.

Lane’s parents Mark, 34, Danny, 40, and sister Lacey, seven, have have learned to live with his traits. Mark said: “Lane’s thing with hoovers is not that he likes to hoover, its the noise, the mechanics and obviously the Henry hoover has a friendly face. He can talk non stop about them.

“I wanted to do the filming to help raise awareness of Williams syndrome. There are only 1,500 cases in the UK.”

The programme set at the Grosvenor Hotel in Torquay saw Lane work with the hotel’s housekeeping department to pick the hoovers. He tested a number of different models and decided Electrolux and Henry were the best.

Lane said: “I like the Electrolux. It made the nicest noise and I like the colour – it’s silver and pink.”

Sandra Morris, head of housekeeping at the hotel, said: “We chose Lane to test the models as there’s no better man for the job.”

Mark and the family have been regulars at the hotel down the years and were pleased to get the chance to feature the syndrome on the show.

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