A schoolboy with autism has won the Merseyway Mother’s Day portrait competition.

Jake Redfern, eight, attends the Seashell Trust-run Royal School Manchester in Cheadle Hulme, created a picture of his mum using a range of textures he chose to add to the portrait drawn with support from his learning support assistant.

Artwork by schoolchildren from across the borough was displayed around the shopping precinct and people were asked to vote via ‘likes’ on Merseyway’s Facebook page.

A panel of judges chose a winner in three age groups from a shortlist of nine portraits.

Jake’s mum Lorraine, from Poynton, said: “I couldn’ be prouder of Jake’s picture and we can definitely see the likeness in the portrait. Daddy is looking forward to seeing his later in the year.”

The winners got their portraits framed and a luxury gift for their mum, as well as art supplies or book tokens for their school.

Helen Barrance, early years teacher at Seashell Trust, said: “All our students are very creative and love taking part in art sessions.

“They really enjoyed choosing their favourite textures to create very special, unique, sensory portraits. Jake has worked really hard to develop his art skills and is a very creative young man.”