A MUM and autism campaigner is assured of a hero's welcome back home after just missing out on winning the Red Nose Day version of Strictly Come Dancing.

Anna Kennedy, once a Middlesbrough tap dance teacher, is a high profile autism campaigner after fighting for her two son's education rights and going on to form a national charity.

On BBC's People's Strictly on Friday night, she narrowly missed out on winning the title despite at one point scored a perfect 40 from the show's judges.

She lost the crown to former Royal Marine Cassidy Little, who lost his right leg below the knee in Afghanistan in 2011 but was determined to dance.

Mrs Kennedy lives in London but still travels home in her role as patron of The Daisy Chain, a charity in Norton, near Stockton, which helps families dealing with autism across Teesside.

Judith Haysmore, chief executive of The Daisy Chain, said: "Anna is our patron, so obviously we were delighted when she scored a perfect 40 in one dance.

"It was plain to see she was having a lot of fun but, importantly to us, she also raised awareness of this very challenging condition.

“To have someone like Anna state for all to see how difficult life can be for families affected by autism is something all our families could recognise, and was very moving.

"We hope to see Anna at Calf Fallow Farm before too long and she can be assured of a hero's welcome.”

Mrs Kennedy, OBE, remortgaged her home to set up a school in London for other autistic children when her sons, Patrick, now 25, and Angelo 21, now, were turned away from mainstream education.