'I can finally take my son to a football match'

An Everton fan said it was "amazing" to have finally taken his son to see a game thanks to the inclusion of a sensory room at the club's new stadium.

Stephen Simpson watched his friends bring their children to Goodison Park over the years, thinking his autistic son Joe would never be able to go with him.

He said that while Joe, now 21, could not watch games at the Blues' former stadium, the sensory room at Hill Dickinson Stadium meant they had been able to do so.

Stephen told the BBC it meant "everything to bring Joe here".

"I have always wanted to bring him since he was little and I just never had the opportunity," he said.

"He wouldn't be able to go to Goodison with the way it was because it would have been too loud for him."

Stephen spoke about the moment Everton's anthem - the theme tune from 1960s TV show Z-Cars - began to play on the public address system when they attended a pre-season friendly earlier this month.

"It was just amazing watching Joe's face," he said.

"He was a little bit overawed with the noise but it was a really nice feeling, sharing it with him."

Joe said it was "great" to be there to enjoy the atmosphere and watch a game with his family.

He said using the sensory room as a quiet space during half-time had made it possible.

Joe's mum Julie said bringing Joe to watch a game had been "very emotional, especially for his dad Stephen, who has been going to games since he was a little boy".

She said Stephen "never really moaned but we knew when he'd see his mates with their kids and as they've grown up, Joe's never been able to go so it was really emotional when we brought him and when they played Z-Cars."

Julie said this was "something we have always wished we could do... so when they moved stadiums and said they would be putting the sensory room in, it was really exciting".

She said her family had worked closely with Everton to advise the club about sensory rooms and how to best train members of staff.

Located on the second floor of the stadium, the sensory box is a pitch-facing room enabling fans to enjoy the match in a quieter, controlled environment, with access to sensory equipment.

There is also reserved seating directly in front of the sensory box, giving users the flexibility of watching the match both inside and outside.

The sensory room next to the sensory box is a breakout room with a range of specialist equipment.

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