Tommee Tippee to make 500 'special blue cups' for autistic teenager Ben Carter
Tommee Tippee is to manufacture a new batch of cups for an autistic boy after a dad's search went global.
Marc Carter launched an appeal for a 'special little blue cup' for his 14-year-old son Ben, who will only drink from a certain cup.
His campaign went viral, with offers of replacement cups flooding in for him.
The cups were made by Northumberland-based Tommee Tippee, although manufacturing of them stopped almost 20 years ago.
But now the Cramlington company has said it will make a new batch of cups especially for Ben.
The company will make 500 of the cups having tracked down the cup’s original mould at a factory in China.
Work is expected to start in China this week, with the cups handed over to Marc in the new year.
Marc, from Devon, said he was delighted at the latest development.
Marc said he has been so inspired by his own experience, he wants to make a documentary to keep autism in the spotlight.
He said: "I'm trying to find a production company to help me make a film about this story and to go to China to film the cups being made, but also include the stories of some of the many other families who have their own Ben's with their version of the Little Blue Cup, be it a toy, blanket, teddy or a cup.
"It helps with the conversation about autism and gets the debate going. Autism isn't all Rain Man and rainbows."