A five-year-old with autism phoned for help when his mother suddenly had a seizure when out shopping.

Leanne Kennedy, 40, from Downhills Park Road, Enfield, was shopping in Lidl in Wood Green for food for her son Ethan when she suddenly fell to the floor in a fit, last Thursday.

As his mother was unconscious, Ethan kept a cool head and tried to call his grandmother using his mother’s phone.

He cannot speak in full sentences but handed the phone to a shopper who had stopped to help.

Ethan’s grandmother, Dolores Lincoln, sprinted to the supermarket, which is only two minutes away from her house in Russell Avenue.

When Ms Kennedy came through she could hear her mother’s voice and was helped up by Ethan and the other customers - she could not remember any of the attack.

Ms Lincoln said: “He was very calm just standing there really staring at his mum.

“When I told all the family, everyone was in tears because we do worry about Ethan.

“It’s just amazing to think that if anything happens then at least Ethan can call me.

“It’s wonderful to know that he can do that and I’m totally proud of him.

“He’s like Leanne’s little carer.”

Ethan, seeing his mother had recovered, went to the self-checkout to finish shopping.

His actions also impressed his mother. Although she had taught him to use his iPad to call her for help and used a phone to help him communicate, she did not know he had learned to call other people.

Her grandmother was listed as mum in her contacts and his condition – people with autism often cannot understand other people’s point of view - could make it hard for him to understand who that means.

The five-year-old has grown up watching his mother – who has up to four seizures a week - struggle with her illness.

The single mother needs help from her own mother.

Everyday tasks such as going out, cooking or even locking the door can be daunting.

Ms Kennedy said: “He’s a really clever. He can read as well and he loves maths but he can’t talk and so it’s hard for me to know whether he’s understood something.

“But he is very good with technology and that may serve him in the future.

“He’s just a dream and a lovely boy.”