IT'S not every day you get to meet your favourite action heroes in the school playground.
But pupils at Ings Primary School in east Hull, recently had a playtime to remember, when they were visited by Transformers stars Optimus Prime and Bumblebee.
The stars were there to surprise one six-year-old in particular, Jacob Salmon.
Jacob was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia 11 months ago – vowing to "kick cancer's butt" – and, despite undergoing intensive treatment, he has continued to attend as many lessons at possible at Ings Primary School.
Hull charity Nice 2 b Nice arranged the surprise visit for Jacob and his school friends.
Jacob's mum, Joanne, said: "It was an absolutely amazing day and has made memories Jacob is never going to forget."
Hasbro provided the Transformer vehicles for the surprise visit last Wednesday and picked Jacob up from school for the surprise.
Joanne said: "Jacob recently picked up a virus, so the night before the surprise I had to phone David from Nice 2 b Nice and tell him he might not be well enough to go into school for the surprise.
"We thought we would tell him we had a surprise for him because it might perk him up a bit, which, fortunately, it did."
Jacob was given a VIP tour of Hull, travelling in both Optimus Prime and Bumblebee, with the Transformers stopping at Stockwell Primary School in east Hull for other children to see.
Joanne said: "We felt like royalty, especially when we got to Stockwell Primary School and all the other children were shouting out Jacob's name.
"It was amazing the amount of people who stopped to take pictures."
Jacob has since sent a thank you card to David from Nice 2 b Nice and the staff at Hasbro.
Joanne said: "We cannot thank everyone enough.
"David has been like Jacob's guardian angel.
"Jacob will never forget the experience he had."
David Freer, of Nice 2 b Nice, said: "While receiving treatment, Jacob asked his mum if he could get a visit from the Transformers and, doing what any mum would for her child in this situation, Joanne said yes.
"At first, I thought about getting someone in a suit to surprise him, however, we wanted to do better than that and we did just that."
David would like to thank Ings headteacher Jonathan Roe and the Hasbro team for making Jacob's dream come true.
He said: "What these people have done goes beyond putting a smile on a few kids' faces.
"It has pushed cancer aside for just one day and allowed Jacob to smile for simply being a young, six-year-old boy."
Back at school after his intensive treatmentJacob Salmon, who told the Mail last month how he planned to "kick cancer's butt", was diagnosed with the disease last November.
He has undergone more than 500 hospital procedures, including chemotherapy, lumbar punctures and blood transfusions.
He was diagnosed after he complained of stiff legs and chapped lips.
A series of intensive treatments has led to Jacob losing his hair five times.
Despite being in almost constant pain, Jacob has rarely complained.
After months of intensive treatment, Jacob finally returned to his studies at Ings Primary School in September.
