IT WAS a dream come true for Samuel Schofield who got a special tour on a bus to celebrate his fifth birthday.

For years buses have been the main passion for Samuel, who has autism and finds it difficult to take part in mainstream activities.

He has memorised the bus routes around Weymouth and loves more than anything to travel on the bus with his mum Nicola Schofield.

So a Weymouth bus company decided to make Samuel’s birthday by giving him a special tour of the bus station and a trip around Weymouth, culminating in a mock drive of the double decker bus.

Mum Nicola, of Wyke Regis, said: “Samuel loves the buses – from the minute he wakes up until the minute he goes to sleep he talks about buses.

“Since he was really small he was always watching them and we’re always coming to the bus station so he can watch them.

“When he sees one he gets really excited, so to have this special tour today is like a dream come true for him.”

She added: “It was a particular highlight when we were driving along and everyone was waving at Samuel on the top deck.”

Operations manager Mark Williams, of First Hampshire and Dorset, said: “We were glad to be able to offer Samuel a tour of the station and a trip to the Pavilion.

“It is something Samuel really enjoys so we were glad to do anything we could and we thought it would be a lovely day for him.”

Autism is a lifelong developmental disability that affects the way a person communicates and relates to people around them. People with autism have difficulties with everyday social interaction.