WHEN chatterbox Katie Scarlett McIntosh stopped talking almost two years ago, her mum Joanne was left baffled.

It was some months later before the Tottington youngster was diagnosed with autism.

Katie, now aged five, of Scobell Street, had been very chatty up until the age of three, but then became withdrawn although her family and staff at Hoyle Nursery School in Jericho continued to encourage her.

But her silence suddenly ended when she spotted balloons in a television advert and got excited and began to shout.

Now, Asda in Spring Street, Bury, is helping Katie by giving her their promotional balloons when they are finished with them. And it was all the idea of Katie's grandmother, Marlene Healey.

She said: "I had gone to do my shopping and saw the big bunch of balloons near the customer services desk. I asked one of the assistants what they did with them once they were finished with, and I was told they just popped them so they could throw them away.

"I told them about Katie losing her voice, and the fact that she loves balloons so much they made her speak again. They said she could gladly have them."

Now staff at the supermarket have taken the huge collection of orange and gold balloons to Katie's home to hopefully put a smile on her face and keep her talking.

The balloons have taken pride of place in the front room of the family's home which Katie shares with her brothers Robert and Scott.

Katie has also been attending Hurdles, the group for children with physical and mental disabilities.