'Life-changing' project for autistic children coming to Bristol

A drama project teaching autistic children music and acting has been credited with changing a child's life.

The Turtle Opera scheme works with 11 to 14 year old children over an eight-week period and is heading to Bristol.

The children work with a composer and director to create a performance for their family and friends.

The mother of one of the children from a previous project said the course had taught her son "it's OK to be autistic".

"I don't mean to be dramatic about it, but Turtle Opera has completely changed our lives," she said.

"Pascal walked out of the first session and it was as if he thought 'Oh my god, it's ok to be autistic'.

"He is a changed child."

Another parent said the Birmingham-based project gave her son "opportunities for expressing himself, socialising, friendship and maturing he could not have found anywhere else".

Turtle Key Arts was formed in 1989 and runs creative projects with the aim of creating a "ground-breaking accessible space" - including Turtle Opera.

Artistic director Charlotte Cunningham said: "The project is obviously extremely valuable to the young people and their families.

"In Bristol this will be our first collaboration with Bristol Beacon, who already do such wonderful work bringing music to so many in the city and who we hope will carry on the legacy of this project into the future."

The project is due to run for eight weeks and will culminate in a performance in November.

Follow BBC West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Send your story ideas to: [email protected]