A transgender man from Whitehaven is raising money for life-changing surgery after an "agonising" wait for treatment on the NHS.

Liam Irwin has set up a fundraising page to pay for male chest reconstruction, or "top surgery", privately.

The 19-year-old, who came out as transgender when he was 16, said the procedure will help him be closer to the man that he is.

Liam has been a patient of gender clinics for almost four years and is due to start testosterone on the NHS soon.

He has to travel to Newcastle and Middlesbrough for treatment because there are no gender clinics in Cumbria.

Liam said: "The wait has been agonising for me. I continue to be prevented from doing things I'd like to which worsens the longer I spend in a body which doesn't align with my brain.

"To avoid potentially waiting years again when it comes to surgery, I am pursuing private treatment.

"This surgery will be life-changing for me as it has been something I've wanted since I came out as transgender.

"It will massively improve the discomfort I feel surrounding my chest and the mental health issues I have that stem from the realisation that I am in the wrong body."

Liam is going to study psychology at Northumbria University in September after he deferred his place for a year because he was waiting for treatment.

He said he chose a university in Newcastle so he could be close to a gender clinic.

"I'm looking forward to it. It's just a bit of a pain I had to defer for a year. I wouldn't like to think I have to put my life on hold any longer. I've already waited so long."

Liam said he would like to work at a gender clinic in the future to help others who are going through a similar experience.

The former St Benedict's School pupil said the support from those around him had been "brilliant" since he came out.

"The school was really good. My peers were good and my family have been great."

So far Liam has raised £850 towards his procedure but says there is still a long way to go before he reaches his £8,000 goal.

The money raised will also go towards travel and accommodation costs as the surgery will be carried out in London.

Liam said if any money was left over, it would be donated to to The LGBT Foundation and the local LGBTQ+ youth group.

The other half of any remaining funds would be used to purchase binders for other transgender men. Binders are compression vests that create the appearance of a flat chest.

Liam also hopes to raise awareness of the LGBTQ+ community in the area.

He said: "I feel that many people believe transgender men and women do not exist within our area as we are such a minority and Whitehaven is a small town."

To donate to Liam's fundraising page, go to: www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/liam-transgendertopsurgery