A vulnerable autistic man threatened with a knife by cruel bullies after losing both his parents has been 'adopted' by a Scots pensioner after they fostered a life-changing friendship - despite living hundreds of miles apart.
Ben Canham , who has Asperger's Syndrome, was plunged into depression after losing his dad at just 17 to lung cancer before his mum passed away from heart failure when he was 18, leaving him parentless.
Then, shortly before the UK went into a nationwide lockdown last year, while he was living alone in Melton Mowbray, England, the 23-year-old was subject to a horrific knife attack by local thugs left him too afraid to leave his home.
The gang of around six men had also previously hurtled stones at him.
With no one to turn to, helpless Ben barricaded himself inside his flat, even ordering takeaways so that he didn't have to venture out to shops.
In a desperate bid to connect with people, he turned to strangers online - which is where he met Shelagh Low, a 68-year-old retired Scots social worker from Glenlomond, in Perth and Kinross.
The pair began speaking and soon became bonded through shared experiences of grief. Before long, Shelagh became increasingly concerned for Ben - who revealed he was having suicidal thoughts after being threatened with a blade.
She said: "When Ben was threatened with a knife I actually contacted the police down there on his behalf."
Shelagh also tried to talk Ben into going outside and even flagged him to social services in his area as a person of concern.
But as lockdown eased, Shelagh - who also lives alone - felt she needed to take action to help Ben took the decision to make the 700-mile round journey in July to bring him to live with her.
She said: "I just knew he needed some human contact and someone to check on him because he was very depressed."
Ben now credits her selfless offer with saving his life.
Ben told the Record: "After I lost both my parents that's when things really started to go downhill.
"I was on my own and an easy target.
"What happened to me really shattered my confidence. I sometimes felt like screaming at the walls, it was a very dark time."
"I didn't think I could make it."
But after moving in with Shelagh and with the safety of her support, Ben now feels he can look towards a better future.
"I’ve already made a lot of good memories and best of all was last Christmas Day because it was the first one I have spent with someone since my mum died."
Ben has now made his move to Scotland permanent and has secured a flat around ten minutes from Shelagh, in the town of Milnathort. He added that his new life has given him a chance to escape the 'bullying, flashbacks and trauma' of what he has been through and slowly rebuild his confidence.
Pensioner Shelagh is also grateful to have had the chance to make sure Ben was moved to somewhere she knew he would be safe.
She said: "I would never have forgiven myself if one day I had phoned Ben and there was no answer. That was really why I did what I did."
The pair now hope to use their story to raise awareness around the issues facing people with autism and disabilities, as Ben explains he felt "forgotten" amid the pandemic. He even featured on television being given the vaccine in a bid to encourage others in the autistic community.
Ben, who now has over 20,000 followers on social media, said: "Sharing my story has actually helped other people going through the same things as me, which is touching to know that I can help other people."
Both Ben and Shelagh believe his story is not an isolated one and hope he can give a voice to others, with plans to write a book about his experiences.
