An Asda employee and dad-to-be has been praised after helping calm down a young autistic boy.

Ryan Crabtree, who has worked at the Colne store for three months, helped a little boy who was finding shopping with his dad a little bit overwhelming.

The boy's dad since contacted the store to thank food hall section leader Ryan, 29, for taking the time out to engage with his son and to make him smile and laugh.

Ryan said: "I was working late shift on an aisle and I could hear a child getting upset. When the boy – who was about five or six – came around the corner with his dad he was quite hysterical.

"I'm going to be a father myself so I thought 'let's go and cheer him up'.

“I have a handheld device with a laser scanner at the front so I just started flashing that around on the floor and in the air.

"The boy loved it and just started laughing and giggling.

“His dad said he was autistic and just didn't like loud, noisy environments.

“I just talked to them about football – everyone's favourite subject – and calmed the situation down."

Home shopping manager Judith Caine, has nominated Ryan for an Asda service superstar award.

She said: "Ryan just took the time to stop what he was doing and talk to the little lad and do that little bit of extra.

"For that little lad it's made such a difference. I think it's absolutely amazing. When the boy next comes into Asda he's going to think of Ryan and the flashing lights as opposed to being worried about going into a supermarket.

"Ryan is lovely. He's funny and caring; he's just a really, really nice lad. His actions were so much appreciated by the dad who said the store can sometimes be loud, noisy and very busy for his son and he just wanted to let us know just how good Ryan was. Not all superheroes were capes – well done Ryan."