CELTIC footballer Jonny Hayes stepped in to stop a young Rangers fan from being bullied.

The Hoops ace spotted Callum Forrest being picked on by four boys at a Co-Op near the team's Lennoxtown training grounds.

The 31-year-old offered the youngster, who recently started secondary school, a life home and when Callum declined, the winger followed him home to make sure he was safe.

However, the Parkhead player didn't stop there.

When Callum asked mum Jordan to send Jonny a thank you note, the Celtic star responded with a signed shirt and inspirational message for the youngster.

In a note to Callum, Jonny wrote: "Callum, don't let the boys from school get you down.

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"Bullies aren't worth your time.

"If you ever need anything I'm only five minutes up the road, Jonny."

Taking to Facebook to share Callum's experience, proud mum Jordan wrote: "He is chuffed to bits because he had only asked for his autograph and I told him not to get his hopes up on that because he's a busy man.

Glasgow Times:

"But for him to send his own top signed is absolutely amazing and my son's a Rangers fan but when he opened that parcel and he read the note he was nearly crying.

"He was so happy, he's not stopped telling people and showing them what Jonny sent him.

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"Not only that he messaged Jonny on Instagram to say thank you and and he said to me 'I know he won't get back to me' and about five minutes later he came running in screaming because he did get back to him and my son replied and asked for a game of football with him.

"So thank you Jonny, you have made my son one very happy boy, he said this is the best week off his life. I haven't seen him smile like that in a long time and thank you for what you done for him."

The post has been shared more than 5,000 times and received more than 19,000 likes.