A footy fan from Boughton was given the VIP treatment at his first Premier League football match after winning a children’s radio competition.

Hayden Pickering, seven, headed to The Etihad on Saturday, February 6 to watch his team Manchester City play against league leaders Leicester City after taking top prize in the competition on Fun Kids Radio.

The contest aims to put youngsters at the heart of the action for their first ever City match.

The Chester Blue Coat CE Primary School pupil was treated to the Blue Carpet Experience where he got the chance to high-five his heroes as they entered the stadium. He also enjoyed a matchday tour of the stadium ahead of the game, a meet and greet with club mascots Moonchester and Moonbeam, stood pitchside and watched the players warm up, and dined in the Legends hospitality suite before watching the match.

Hayden said: “This has been a day I’ll never forget. Getting to high-five the players, having my name on the big screens in the stadium and getting to look behind the scenes in the dressing room was unreal. ”

Hayden’s dad Gary, who attended with his son, said: “What a fantastic day, both Hayden and I loved every minute – apart from the result of course.”

Manchester City’s My First Match offers young fans the opportunity to win a money-can’t-buy experience which puts them at the heart of the action on a Premier League matchday. City player Raheem Sterling recalls his very first football match: ”The first football match I ever went to was Manchester United versus Chelsea in the FA Cup final at Wembley and I was 12 years old. I used to play football with friends as a 10-year-old and it makes me just as happy now as it did then.”