Train mad Charlie fulfils an ambition

Charlie Baker knows what he likes. The 8 year old from Norwich, who's autistic, is obsessed with trains.

He lives sleeps and breathes railways according to his Mum Caroline.

She regularly indulges his passion by taking him on train trips and says it helps a lot with his development.

So when she wrote off to East Coast who run the main line between Peterborough and London Kings Cross she was hoping they might send a few pictures or give Charlie a complimentary pen or mug.

She was unprepared for what happened next because not only did Charlie receive all sorts of gifts from the company but they also invited him to spend a day in their state of the art simulator which is used to train drivers.

Charlie and Caroline set off from Norwich station early on Saturday morning and when they arrived in London Charlie was issued with a specially created miniature East Coast uniform to enable him to 'feel the part'.

After being given some top tuition Charlie also got to spend time in the cab of real locomotives and now has a much better idea of what his dream job would actually involve.