A Northern boy has created a groundbreaking new app that helps children with non-verbal autism to communicate.
Nine-year-old Sean Porter from Southport was originally asked to create a game for a school project, but he decided to go one step further in a bid to help someone very close to him and build an app for non-verbal children and those with autism to help them communicate.
Sean’s six-year-old brother Adam Porter was diagnosed with autism when he was two.
Since his diagnosis, Adam had always struggled to speak and was unable to ask for some of the simplest requests -but now, using the app developed by his brother Sean, Adam can communicate by just tapping a picture.
Speaking enthusiastically to ITV News about the app, Sean said: “I knew that if I didn’t develop this app, then I don’t know anyone who would think of it.
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“It feels absolutely amazing – I feel wonderful.”
“People generally don’t think about other people. They think “if I make this amazing invention I am going to be epic and famous and have loads of money – but they don’t focus on anyone else and how it affects them.”
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A Northern boy has created a groundbreaking new app that helps children with non-verbal autism to communicate / Credit: ITV News
According to recent studies, it’s estimated that 40% of children with autism are non-verbal, which means that they may never learn to speak more than a few words – but Adam’s father Liam is hoping this app might help change that statistic.
“Him asking for food, telling us he was hurt, asking to go to the toilet, it was basically guess work,” Liam Porter said.
“This app has opened up more choice for Adam after we created the app he has asked for more things and is developing faster.”
Sean also hopes to make his app more user specific for the needs of each child.
His mum Kirsty also told the Liverpool ECHO: “He wants to go more into it and if it does go anywhere he wants to make it user specific for each specific child.
“At the minute it’s just ‘I want a drink’, ‘I want some food’, ‘I need the toilet’ and in order to make it more specific.
“Children with autism have specific drinks they want, you can’t just say to them ‘what drink’ they want that drink they are used to having.”
A FREE family-friendly lantern parade is returning to Altrincham this Christmas
Thomas Melia
There’s a family-friendly lantern parade making its way back to Altrincham town centre this Christmas and it’s completely free.
If you thought the Christmas season couldn’t get any better, you were wrong, as now you can have your very own Rapunzel moment as Altrincham welcomes the return of its lantern parade.
Before these dazzling paper creations light up this Greater Manchester town, there will be a very exciting Nativity Trail spread across various locations starting at Stamford Square.
Not only this, you can also expect a range of family-friendlyactivities running throughout the day featuring everything from live music and storytelling.
And if you’re after getting stuck in yourself rather than just watching from the sidelines, there’ll be lantern making workshops taking place on the day.
Although these classes will be free for all to enjoy, any families looking at attending will still need to book a ticket to create and design their own lantern at at OYEZ Arts in Altrincham Town Hall.
Previous lantern parades that have been held in Altrincham have seen lots of exciting and fun festive surprises with live donkeys trotting through the town last year.
The event itself encourages parade-goers to gather in Goose Green from 4pm before the official walk and lighting takes place from 4.45pm.
This illuminated walk includes a full Nativity cast, local schoolchildren, lantern puppets alongside a live soundtrack courtesy of Sale District Scout and Guide Band.
With the lantern parade finishing in Stamford Square and expected to last just under one hour, there will be a live Nativity performance happening at 5.30pm.
Mandy White, Director of Altrincham BID, said: “The Lantern Parade and Nativity Journey truly capture the spirit of Christmas in Altrincham. It’s a wonderful opportunity for families to come together, explore the town and celebrate the festive season.”
Altrincham’s Lantern Parade and Nativity Journey returns on Saturday 13 December from 12pm with lantern lighting at 4pm onwards – all events and further info. HERE.
Featured Images – Supplied (via Altrincham BID)
News
‘Disgraceful’ Manchester sex offender jailed after messaging several young girls under 16
Emily Sergeant
A sex offender from Manchester has been charged with 35 offences, including messaging several young girls while on a Sexual Harm Prevention Order.
William Howarth, from the Miles Platting area of Manchester, appeared at Manchester Crown Court this week where he was sentenced to nine years and eight months in prison – with a further six years on licence.
The 23-year-old’s sentencing follows an investigation by Greater Manchester Police’s (GMP) Sex Offender Crime Investigation Team (SOCIT) after Howarth was found to be in possession of an unregistered mobile phone in a visit from his offender manager in 2023.
Howarth was subject to routine checks due to him being an already-registered sex offender managed by GMP through a Sexual Harm Prevention Order (SHPO), and it was here where he had to register his mobile device and hand it over to his offender manager from our Sex Offender Management Unit (SOMU) during home visits.
After Howarth’s phone was seized by police, forensic analysis revealed a number of messages were sent to several young girls under the age 16.
#JAILED | On Thursday at Manchester Crown Court, William Howarth (28/7/2002), of Miles Platting, was sentenced to 15 years & 8 months with a further 6 years on licence – after previously pleading guilty to the 35 offences involving messaging young girls pic.twitter.com/HrYKCVay2l
An investigation was immediately launched, and with the help of police forces across the country, GMP managed to trace the children Howarth had been in communication with – who ‘bravely’ agreed to give their accounts.
Police say Howarth displayed ‘controlling’ behaviour over the children he had been in contact with, not allowing them to refuse his requests.
When the children attempted to make a stand and refuse to send further images to him, Howarth would threaten them by stating if they didn’t do as he asked, he would post their images online.
In a hearing at Manchester Crown Court last week (10 November 2025), Howarth pleaded guilty to the following 35 offences – including 11 counts of breaches of his Sexual Harm Prevention Order, and possession and making of indecent images of children.
Speaking following Howarth’s sentencing, Detective Constable Joshua Cresswell, from GMP’s Sex Offender Crime Investigation Team (SOCIT), commented: “I’d like to thank the brave child victims in supporting our investigating through agreeing to give us their harrowing accounts of how Howarth came in contact with them.
“Howarth is a disgraceful predator and belongs behind bars away from causing further harm to children.”
Emily Sergeant -
24th November 2021 
