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A young Liverpool FC fan has a new hero – after Mario Balotelli singled him out during a training session at Melwood.

Jack Gandy, from Belle Vale, was handed a signed ball over the wall by the Italian striker when he went to watch the Reds train during the half-term break – and his day got even better when he was called over for a photo by the Reds star as he left in his Ferrari.

Speaking about his new hero while proudly clutching his signed ball, Jack told the ECHO: “He was dead friendly to talk to, I was dead proud and excited.”

The 11-year-old’s dad Lee said he now wants people to know the type of person Balotelli really is compared to his media image.

He said: “We just couldn’t believe it, he’s such a nice person.

“Jack’s a massive, massive Liverpool fan. He can tell you anything about every player.

“He’s even got a mural on his wall we had done to look like the changing rooms at Anfield.

“He broke up for half term last week and we went to watch them train over the wall at Melwood on Friday.

“Mario went to the far side and was doing longshots and we were watching him ping them in.

“Jack was clapping him as he went to go in and Mario turned and waved. The next minute he came round the back of the goal, scooped up a ball and signed it, before passing it to Jack and then told him ‘you be good’.

“I said ‘thank you so much Mario’ and he turned round, put his thumb up and said ‘no problem’.”

Later, as Jack and his dad were watching the players leave with other Reds fans, the Italian spotted him in the crowd.

Lee said: “All the fans were outside afterwards and Mario stopped his car and told the security guard to let Jack come over.

“We went up to his car and he said to Jack ‘you couldn’t get a picture up there, would you like one now?’

He put his hand up to him and I said to Jack ‘he wants to shake your hand!’.

“Mario held his hand and I took the picture. Jack’s just so made up.

“I had the Swansea game on the radio on Tuesday and when Mario scored Jack was jumping around his room.

“He loves Mario now, he keeps saying to me ‘he’s such a nice person’. He’s put such a big smile on his face.

“You see him on the pitch and he looks angry all the time but he was so nice with Jack, I just think people should know about him doing things like this.”