A Bolton schoolboy has stolen people's hearts with a 'wonderful gesture' for his friend.
Xavier Bonney met his pal Eric through their mutual love of football, playing together during weekend visits to Hulton Lane playing fields in Morris Green.
When Eric started playing in his PE pumps after his football boots ripped, nine-year-old Xavier asked his dad if he could use his savings to buy his pal a new pair.
Dad Jason took a photo of the moment his son handed the boots over to Eric and after sharing it on Facebook - with a brief explanation of what Xavier had done - the youngster has quickly become a social media star.
In less than two days, his post has been shared 1.5k times and it's received hundreds of comments from people praising the 'wonderful gesture' and saying how it has brought them to tears.
Jason, 31, whose family lives in Morris Green, told the M.E.N's Manchester Family : "They made friends through their love of football really. I take Xavier to the park at weekends where he met Eric and they started playing football with each other.
"Eric's boots were getting more and more damaged and tatty each week until they finally ripped altogether and the following week he came wearing his school PE pumps.
"He got a few comments from other kids asking why he's wearing them and not football trainers.
"When we got home Xavier asked me why he was wearing them for the park so I explained to him that his boots must have ripped and he might not be able to afford new ones straight away.
"Xavier then asked me if he could buy some new boots for Eric with the money he has been saving up at his Grandma's over the past few weeks, because he didn't think it was fair that Eric didn't have any boots when all the other kids did and he knew that he would make him happy by buying him some."
Like many boys of his age, Xavier, a pupil at St William York Primary School, would usually spend his money on V-Bucks for Fortnite or a new football.
Instead the youngster, who plays for Ladybridge FC and dreams of one day playing for Manchester United, splashed out £16.99 on the boots for 13-year-old Tottenham fan Eric, who attends Essa Academy in Bolton.
Jason, who also has a 17-month-old son Ezra with wife Sophie, a teaching assistant, said he's been surprised by the huge response to his post, but is proud of his son's actions.
"I was really surprised at the response he's got," said Jason, a personal trainer at a mental health hospital. "People have been so kind in their messages and response which has made him feel so good about himself.
"I am really proud of him for doing this, the fact that it came from him shows me that he has empathy for other people's situation which is something we have been trying to teach him since he was young.
"He was so excited to make his friend happy with this gift it was really nice to see. On the way back from dropping them off to Eric he said to me 'helping other people makes you feel really good doesn't it dad'.
"This experience will hopefully be something that will stay with him for the rest of his life and hopefully he will continue treating others like this."
