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Schoolboy turns up to prom in style after neighbour steps in – flanked by motorbike outriders

A schoolboy arrived at his prom in style after a kindly neighbour stepped in – turning up flanked by motorbike outriders. Charlie Baldwin, 16, rocked up to Sandwich Technical School in Kent with nine bikes alongside in support. He was supposed to arrive in a McLaren 720S after his mum Emma Baldwin, 39, put out a request on Facebook. But a breakdown in communication meant the supercar couldn’t be there on time – so neighbour Michael Stout, 34, helped out. He agreed to take Charlie, from Deal, to the party in his Ford Focus ST last Thursday (29/6). The teenager, who will study carpentry at college in September, said: “It was amazing – I really wanted to arrive in a cool car. “It was really kind of Michael to help out like that at the last minute. “Also no one else had all those bikes taking them to the prom. It felt really special. I had a great evening.” Charlie had a pacemaker fitted and a hole in the heart closed 11 years ago. Half of his heart is reversed compared to most people, plus all his organs are on opposite sides of his body. Mum Emma, a charity worker, decided she wanted to do something special for his prom. She thought a sports car would be a more fitting ride to the prom than her Vauxhall Zafira. So she put a shoutout on Facebook in April and got loads of offers for sports cars to give him a ride. Sadly a calendar mix-up meant the McLaren Charlie picked out wasn’t there at 6pm on Thursday, to take him to the school. But it did collect him from the venue, the Baypoint Sports Club, at 11pm. They went for a drive before returning home. Charlie said: “It was brilliant! just what I dreamed of. “Everyone has been very kind with all their offers of help and I feel very lucky that I got to go for a ride in the McLaren.” Charlie had about 30 sports car offers – including the DeLorean from Back to the Future, a Bentley, a Ferrari, an Aston Martin and even a monster truck. Emma said: “I was so amazed at the huge number of kind responses I got on Facebook. “I can’t even put it into words. It honestly took my breath away and gave my faith in humanity a real boost. “Charlie’s enjoyed school and made some great friends. I’m so pleased he could finish school in such style.”