Yattendon girl meets footballing heroes

Charlotte Pocock won a competition to be the match mascot at Reading's game against Brighton on Boxing Day

READING'S Boxing Day win over Brighton was made even more special for one West Berkshire girl who won the recent Newbury Weekly News competition to be a match mascot at the Madejski Stadium.

Charlotte Pocock, of Newbury Road, Yattendon, has been a life-long Royals supporter, following in the footsteps of her father and grandfather.

The 14-year-old said meeting her favourite player and Reading captain, Jobi McAnuff, who scored two goals to help Reading's 3-0 win, made her Christmas.

“It was an amazing experience,” said Charlotte, a pupil of the John O'Gaunt Community Technology College, Hungerford.

“To walk out onto the pitch with my favourite player, McAnuff, was great. He was very nice and spoke to me about whether I had a good Christmas and what present I got.

"It made my Christmas.”

The loyal Royals fan is now hoping her side can march up the table to return to the Premiership next season.

Reading are currently sixth in the table and play Ipswich at home on New Year's Eve.

The match mascot NWN competition prize, which included a number of other goodies for Charlotte and her match-day guests, was donated by Reading Football Club.