A GRATEFUL mum has thanked a friendly youngster for his act of kindness towards her autistic son.

Noah King, seven, was at the Big Adventure Club in Grange Park Way when he sat down to eat lunch alone.

The little boy was recently diagnosed with a mild form of autism and can find it challenging to communicate.

But a kind-hearted youngster made sure Noah felt included last week when he invited him to eat with him and his friends, calling him ‘mate’.

Noah’s mum Rachel King, from Royal Wootton Bassett, said she was overwhelmed when she heard of the boy’s thoughtful act, when she picked up Noah and sister Freya, eight.

Rachel, 33, said: “I spend my days at work worrying about Noah, worried about how he’s getting on, worried if he’s going to make friends. He is different in his approach to people and very quirky but we love him for it.

“I asked him the usual things when I picked them up, how was your day, what made you happy today?

“Freya said, ‘Noah sat on his own at lunch today’ which made me so upset. But before I could ask Freya why she didn’t sit with him he said ‘one of the big boys asked me to sit with him and his friends and not to sit alone, he called me his mate'.

“By this time tears filled my eyes, with relief and gratitude. When I asked how old the boy was, Noah guessed about 11.

“Later on he asked the same boy if he could play Xbox with him. One of the boy’s friends said, no, he doesn’t know how to, but the kind boy said of course he could play and they had a great time together. Noah doesn’t really make eye contact so he didn’t see I was crying but I couldn’t help myself.

“It really made Noah’s day.

“This boy probably doesn’t even realise what a difference he has made to my son’s life

“I can only assume he has been raised by wonderful parents and I hope he continues to be as kind and grows into an amazing young man.”

Touched by the unknown’s boy’s gesture Rachel took to social media to detail the random act of kindness and was stunned when her post was shared more than 30,000 times.

Now Rachel is determined to track down the kind hearted youngster so she can personally thank him.

A party company has offered the anonymous boy a reward for his kindness.