An 11-year-old from York has opened a new wheelchair feature in the playground of a popular museum.

Presley Ellisson officially declared the new wheelchair friendly roundabout at the Yorkshire Air Museum in Elvington open.

The Applefields School student is autistic and suffered brain damage due to his mother’s water breaking when she was 22 weeks pregnant which left him wheelchair bound.

Presley’s mother, Abigail Ellisson, said her son enjoyed the day and spoke of the importance of wheelchair friendly facilities being present at playgrounds.

“It’s really important,” she said.

“There’re not many places that have wheelchair facilities so to be part of it was really nice.

“It was amazing to see him so happy and to be able to go join in with other children.”

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After the opening Presley and Abigail spent the day at the museum and were given a tour of its exhibitions.  

A spokesperson for the Yorkshire Air Museum said more than a third of all its visitors are part of a family group and explained how it is “so important” to provide facilities for younger customers.

“Accessibility was a key factor in the design of the new play area, which was built this summer,” they said.

“We received funding for this aspect of the project from a charitable trust, the Kirkby Foundation, and are very pleased to have equipment, such as the roundabout, which is wheelchair friendly. Other parts of the playground, such as the swings, are also designed with accessibility in mind.

“It's been our pleasure to have Abigail and Presley here to give us their views on how to make this part of the museum great for all our child visitors and to lend a hand with opening the finished playground.”