Schoolboy Charlie becomes a train driver for the day

Charlie Baker lives, sleeps and breathes trains.

So when his mother wrote to East Coast to tell them of his love of locomotives, she was hoping for a friendly letter in response - and maybe a branded pen or two.

Instead, the rail operator decided to give eight-year-old Charlie a day to remember - by letting him become a train driver for the day.

His mother, Caroline, said: "We thought we might get a pen, maybe a bit of promotional material. We got three parcels full of stuff.

"When I emailed to thank him, he said 'would Charlie like to come to London to drive the simulator?'"

Charlie, who has autism, was up bright and early at the weekend to head down to King's Cross station.

Once there, he found even more surprises waiting for him.

After getting to grips with the simulator, Charlie was even given the chance to start a locomotive bound for Edinburgh.

Russell Hookey reports.