I sat next to a hero today!

I sat next to nine year old boy on the train this morning. He and his dad boarded at London Gatwick Airport after their flight down from Edinburgh Scotland. He was excited, very excited!


He asked me how long it would take for the train to get into London – he simply couldn’t wait!


His father told me the reason for all this excitement - he was on his way to the final of X-Factor 2008 as a special guest of one of the judges, Louis Walsh! He would be watching from a VIP seat in the audience, and after the show he would join Louis, Simon Cowell and the other judges plus all the finalists and a host of celebrities at the party backstage!


We got chatting and I asked Dad Carl why they had been given this special treat.


He told me that this would be a second amazing experience for young Nathan Thompson, for in October he was watched by royalty, a host of A-list celebrities and millions of television viewers receiving a Pride of Britain award for his outstanding bravery.


It suddenly came flooding back to me. It was the most moving story told that night – one I’ll never forget.


Nathan had been in his bedroom when he heard a voice he didn’t recognise. He looked in to his mother’s room where he saw a strange man standing over her brandishing a kitchen knife. His mother told him to go back to his room, but when he heard her screaming he rushed back and saw the man stabbing his mother repeatedly – 12 times in all. He leapt on the assailants back to stop the attack but was shaken off, and then the man turned on Nathan slashing his face and breaking his jaw. The attacker then fled.


Had Nathan not intervened his Mother would not be alive today.


As I write, the X-factor final is on the TV alongside me. I hope he’s enjoying himself. He certainly deserves to.

Nathan with his award in one hand and Prime Minister Gordon Brown in the other!