Sky Sports presenter Simon Thomas said his son is his 'true hero' after the eight-year-old led England out during tonight's game against Italy.

Eastern Daily Press: Simon Thomas. Picture: DENISE BRADLEYSimon Thomas. Picture: DENISE BRADLEY (Image: Archant)

Ethan Thomas lost his mother Gemma to cancer in November last year - just three days after she was diagnosed with leukaemia.

His TV presenter dad, Norfolk-raised Mr Thomas, hailed his son a 'hero' after posting a photograph on Twitter showing them posing outside Wembley earlier in the day.

Another post of the Sir Bobby Moore trophy said: 'One of England's true heroes and tonight my boy gets a once in a lifetime chance to be an England mascot. He's my true hero.'

This evening Ethan led out the England squad at Wembley in front of 84,000 people. Earlier in February he was chosen as Norwich City's mascot.

Mr Thomas Tweeted 'Thanks to [The] FA and England for making it a night my boy will never ever forget.'

The 45-year-old lifelong Canaries fan has opened his heart about the pain and torment his wife's death has caused him and Ethan in a powerful and poignant blog.

His wife, 44, died just three days after she was diagnosed with blood cancer. She had previously been to the doctors three times with flu like symptoms and was sent home to rest.

She was finally admitted to hospital when her condition continued to deteroriate and was found to have acute myeloid leukaemia.

Mr Thomas has been backing a campaign to educate GPs about the disease and to take blood tests from suspected sufferers.

In a recent blog post, Mr Thomas said his son 'sobbed uncontrollably' on his first Mother's Day since Gemma's passing.

He said: 'I could hear him sobbing. I ran back up... I held him and kissed him I asked what was wrong. The words he said next are the words that many a Dad hears plenty of times – 'I want Mummy,'

'It was the most upset and distressed I've seen him since the night mummy died. It was impossibly hard to watch.'