A bus-mad schoolboy was given an early Christmas present, with a ticket to ride a special seasonal vehicle and an exclusive 'behind the scenes' depot tour.

Fourteen-year-old Jack Thompson, from Gateshead, was just four-months-old when he was diagnosed with a brain tumour on his optic nerve which left him registered blind.

He has undergone several rounds of chemotherapy and had numerous hospital stays, but Jack says he is the happiest boy in the world and takes pride in passing his optimism onto others and raising money for charity.

When his nana, Elaine, of Washington, got in touch with Go North East to tell them of Jack's Christmas wish, a tour of its Gateshead Riverside depot, the regional bus company went one step further and asked if he wanted to officially launch its magical Santa Bus, which returns for its annual week-long tour, from Monday (December 19).

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His thrilled grandmother said: "I'd like to thank Go North East for taking the time to give Jack a tour of the bus depot and the Santa Bus.

“This has been the best Christmas present that Jack could have ever hoped for, and he'll never forget this day.

“We'll be out on Monday night to give Santa and his elves a wave!"

Jack has been raising funds since he was seven-years-old for charities CLIC Sargent and Heel & Toe, while he is now raising funds for another worthy cause.

Dreamflight is a UK charity that changes young lives by taking children with a serious illness or disability, without their parents, on the holiday of a lifetime, to Orlando, Florida.

It believes that fun and joy are just as important as medical research and equipment, particularly for children who are unable to wait long enough for the breakthrough they need, or whose illnesses and treatments have brought pain, distress & disruption to their lives.

Jack was said to have had an amazing time with Dreamflight in October, and now wants to help other children have the same opportunity.

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Commenting on the tour, Go North East's Commercial Development Manager, Dan Graham, said: "The Go North East Santa Bus is run by non-driving staff volunteers to spread joy and cheer to children and their families in our communities.

“It’s a tradition which began during Covid when it was the only way to see Santa.

“We were blown away by how popular the Santa Bus open-top tour was last year, and we can't wait to get started again, seeing all those smiling faces as we pass through the region’s villages, towns and cities.

"This year, we'd like to help Jack with his fundraising efforts.

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“The magical Santa Bus open-top tour is free to watch, but we would really encourage the community to help other children like Jack by donating towards his GoFundMe fundraiser for Dreamflight."

Progress on the Santa bus tour can be followed via the  Go North East app as it passes through the region’s towns and cities.

It takes in parts of County Durham on Thursday (December 22), with the route and timetable available on the Go North East website.