Shropshire Star

Red carpet treatment for brave Reece as Odeon staff lay on private showing of Despicable Me 2

A brave six-year-old boy who is suffering from leukaemia received the red carpet treatment at a Shropshire cinema – where he was given a private screening of the newly-released Despicable Me 2 movie.

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Reece Hayles, six, from Hadley, with the cinema all to himself and his Minion for a special screening of Despicable Me 2

Little Reece Hayles, from Hadley, watched the animated film with family members at Odeon Telford on Saturday after kind-hearted staff agreed to a request to allow him to watch the sequel to one of his favourite films.

Reece, who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in July last year, is undergoing regular treatment and is unable to spend time with large groups of people due to the possibility of catching illnesses or infections.

His mum Lisa Pickering e-mailed the cinema to ask about private screenings – and within half an hour staff rang her back to agree to put on a showing especially for Reece. Lisa also revealed her excited son had fought off illness earlier in the week to make the screening – and had spent the hours before the cinema trip watching the original Despicable Me film.

She said: "Every time it came on the television he asked me if we could go, and I kept having to say no.

"I e-mailed Odeon to enquire about private screenings. Within 30 minutes the manager at Telford rang me and said she had to do a screening for Reece."

She added: "He thinks it is amazing, he's really really happy. He's been asking and asking, so it's fabulous.

"He was watching the first Despicable Me film all Friday and we got up on Saturday morning and he'd been watching it again."

Reece had to undergo intensive chemotherapy for eight months, but in January was placed on maintenance which his mother said is now helping him get back to normal.

He was taken back to hospital with a temperature earlier in the week but was still able to make the screening.

Annette Smith, general manager at Odeon Telford, said: "I read the e-mail and it tugged at my heartstrings. I like to do things to help the local community and I couldn't say no.

"I had to ask my area manager and he said we'd have to check with the distributor, who is Pixar, and after I spoke to them they sent us loads of Despicable Me goodies for Reece.

"It's days like this I feel really proud of who I work for, to be able to help a little boy like Reece."

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