Cambridge United club captain wears ear defenders to raise awareness of autism

• ITV News Anglia's Andy Ward reports on Amy and Xavier's big day

Two autistic fans who were chosen as mascots at their football club's Level Playing Field day walked onto the pitch with the team's captain wearing ear-defenders.

Cambridge United invited Amy, 13, and nine-year-old Xavier to their home game against Charlton Athletic on Saturday as part of a drive to celebrate the club's disabled supporters.

They joined captain Paul Digby in the tunnel before the game, and all three wore ear-defenders as part of a demonstration of inclusivity and solidarity.

According to the National Autistic Society, many autistic people experience difficulties with processing sensory information, which can make situations such as football games hard.

"If you are autistic, you may be over-sensitive or under-sensitive to specific sights, sounds, smells or textures. This can be a positive thing, but can also cause distress or discomfort," says the NAS on its website.

If an autistic person is struggling to process the sights and sounds it can sometimes trigger a meltdown.

After the game, Amy and Xavier said the day showed that football was for everyone.

"It felt like you were actually with those football players," they said.

"The headphones are to show that football's for everyone - special needs people, normal people."

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