An autistic schoolboy with a passion for recycling is now hoping to clean up with his own kid’s TV show – which could be shown on NETFLIX.
William Bateman, nine, bought a full-size rusting bin lorry from Ebay for £3,500 last year on his mum’s credit card while her back was turned.
Horrified Fleur Bateman managed to get a refund after realising what he had done.
But since then she has helped William develop his passion for all things recycling and he has now created environmental hero Burt the Binman.
Mum and son joined forces to write a book called ‘Burt’s Day Off’, published in April last year, which has already sold more than 2500 copies.
They now hoping their character will move to the small screen and be as big as Bob the Builder.
The family, from St Neots, Cambs., have been working with animation company IG Media and have made a Burt the Binman pilot episode.
But they have been told the TV industry prefers to buy-in completed projects rather than develop them themselves from pilots.
Amazingly, Netflix have told the family if they can create a series they would be feature it on their site.
The Batemans hope to raise £35,000 in the next 15 days through a crowdfunding campaign launched to raise enough to create the first proper episode.
Fleur, 46, who runs a B&B with husband Paul, said: “A pilot isn’t enough. They won’t fund the animation, they just want a whole series.
“We need £35,000 to make the first programme and we have 30 days to do it so we can pitch it.
“We could really make a difference to the next generation coming through.”
“I want to make my little boy’s dream come true and share this fantastic character that, to be honest, could change the way the next generation of children will grow up thinking about the environment and the future of the planet.
“We are also going to produce a simple online teaching resource pack and make it available free for all schools.”
Fleur said there had been a lot of interest in Burt and they had made an unsuccessful pitch to Virgin’s Richard Branson for support.
The mother-of-three said she is grateful to anyone who will donate even £1 to the cause.
William, who is on the mild end of the autistic spectrum, has hundreds of recycling-related items and dreams of being a recycling plant manager when he grows up.
He said: “I like Burt. He teaches mummies and daddies how to sort the rubbish properly.”
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