THE dream of a five-year-old football fan came true on Saturday when he ran onto the pitch as mascot for Redditch United.

Kearan Tongue-Gibbs donned a specially commissioned football kit for his appearance at the Valley Stadium before the team's match against Harrogate Town.

The special treat was arranged for Kearan, who was born without arms from the elbows down, by Reds' sponsors Prudden Road Surfacing.

Company boss Vanessa Prudden explained she first heard about Kearan when his grandmother tried to hire a skip from the Headless Cross-based firm.

"When I called Kearan's gran back, he picked up the phone and he sounded like such a cheerful little soul," she said.

"His grandma told me all about him and I was in bits."

Mrs Prudden arranged for Kearan, a pupil at St Luke's First School, to have a unique Reds strip made, complete with football boots.

She invited him to watch the match but did not tell him he was going to be a mascot until an hour before his appearance.

"I know it's only something small but I know it will make his year," said Mrs Prudden.

Kearan recently won a sports achievement award and is a budding footballer.