A LLANGOLLEN teenager with Asperger Syndrome has spoken how he 'comes alive' when performing on stage.
Alfie Thomas, 13, is a Freddie Mercury super-fan and music sensation who has found his home on stage.
Witness him perform on stage and it would be difficult to picture someone who struggles to communicate and socialise off stage.
But Alfie lives with Asperger Syndrome - which means he struggles with fine motor skills, socialising and making friends.
He has also been the victim of bullying at school, leading to him being currently too anxious to attend.
But on stage, Alfie 'goes into his own little world' - modelling himself on the late, great Freddie Mercury.
He explained his amazing transformation: "When I'm performing on stage, the whole world is locked out - nothing else matters.
"It's like I'm in my own bubble, I don't even take notice of the crowd in front of me or anything.
"Every bit of emotion built up of the things that have happened and the way I feel gets put into the performance."
The nature of the condition means Alfie struggles to make eye contact when communicating with people - but he says he doesn't feel nerves prior to going on stage.
He said: "I never suffer from nerves before performing - the bigger the crowd, the less nerves there are."
Earlier in the year, Alfie fulfilled one of his dreams of performing in Montreux, Switzerland - where Queen played one of their most famous gigs in 1986.
But Alfie says he wants to become a musician performing his own material, and not that of Queen's.
He said: "I love Freddie, but I write my own material as well and I'm trying to become a singer-songwriter."
Mum Rachel Thomas spoke of some of the difficulties Alfie faces on a day to day basis.
She said: "He struggles with the finer motor skills - so it's been a real struggle for him to play the guitar, but he's got there.
"Obviously he struggles a lot in social situations, but on stage he becomes Freddie Mercury.
"He gets depressed and would love more than anything to make more friends - but his anxiety is so high because of bullying that he's had to come out of school.
"But once on stage he just goes into his own little world - it's amazing.
"Hopefully Alfie can inspire other people living with Aspergers that you can follow your goals and be what you want to be."
If you would like to see Alfie Thomas perform, he will be at Glyndwr University in Wrexham for a Christmas gig on December 13.
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