A FIVE-year-old Warrington Wolves fan with cerebral palsy who presented the match ball at the game against Castleford Tigers on Friday has been called a ‘lucky mascot’ after Wolves beat the Tigers 56-12.

Warrington Wolves arranged a special treat for Leon Hoey, from Longford, at the Castleford game after photographs of him in the team kit went viral.

Leon’s mum, Annmarie Dougan, 29, had been told that he might not survive after he was born but he has grown up to become a huge rugby fan.

On Friday Leon was taken for a spin in the new BMW i8 by club legend, Lee Briers, and given a remote controlled BMW X6 toy car by Halliwell Jones BMW.

He met Wolfie and the players before the game and then presented the match ball on the pitch.

Leon’s mum, Annmarie, said: “It was absolutely brilliant, he had a grin from ear to ear and he’s calling Lee Briers his best friend now.

“We had a lot of people saying he must be the lucky mascot, they want him here all the time!

“He wasn’t nervous – Lee picked him up on the pitch and he was waving to everybody.”

Annmarie said the fans were ‘absolutely brilliant’ and cheered for Leon as he walked on to the pitch.

“Even at the end of the match the fans were getting all of the players to stop for Leon to take photographs,” she said.

Leon’s eight-year-old sister, Kelsey, enjoyed the game too and told her mum she wants to be a cheerleader after watching the squad perform at the match.

“There will be Leon trying to play rugby with the boys and Kelsey dancing with the cheerleaders,” said Annmarie.