Boy with Royal obsession 'devastated' by Queen's death

Melanie Eastwood said her son Jack cried himself to sleep after hearing the news of the Queen's death

A seven-year-old autistic boy obsessed with the Queen has been left "devastated" by her death, his mother said.

Melanie Eastwood, from Worcester, said Jack's love of the Royal Family and history has helped him improve his ability to speak.

But when he heard the news about Her Majesty's death, "he cried himself to sleep".

Jack now wants to go to London with his family for the Royal funeral.

He is non-verbal autistic and he developed his interest in kings, queens and the Royal Family with the help of his teacher at Perrywood Primary School.

Ms Eastwood told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "He's just been completely obsessed. He collects every newspaper article and lots of magazines and books."

Jack was still upset when he went to school on Friday morning, but she said: "He took all of his little collection with him to show his friends and everyone at the school was so brilliant with him."

Jack Eastwood wants to pay his final respects to the Queen by visiting London for the funeral

She said he has asked to take "his prized Paddington Bear" to London and was "desperate to go to London one last time to see her flowers and messages".

The trip did not currently appear financially possible for the family, Ms Eastwood said, but added: "His history and the Royal Family has really sparked such an interest in my boy's life and we really hope we can get him to London."

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