�A 16-year-old autistic boy from Upminster is showing an amazing ability for creating drawings from memory.

James Riley has the condition which means he struggles with social situations and his education but, as Recorder readers can see, he has produced some incredible art.

There are hundreds of drawings he has produced since he was a child – drawn from memory.

Skyline

He can draw buildings from different angles to those he has seen, imagining himself high above the London skyline when he was really at ground level.

His mother Jackie Riley said: “When he started school he didn’t even know how to hold a pen or crayon or anything like that. Within two or three months after starting it was all in perspective, which you don’t do at that age.

“He spends most of his time at the kitchen table just drawing. We’re all very proud of him.”

The student splits his time between Hall Mead School and Havering Sixth Form College.

His work was recently one of the main attractions at a public exhibition at the Brentwood Road Gallery at Frances Bardsley School.

He has been inspired by the alien invasion film Independence Day to draw buildings.

He said: “My favourite media is drawing in pencil, pen and ink, and I would like in the future to make a living by drawing, because I like it.”

James, who has won several art competitions, is working on his own website through which he hopes to sell pictures.

His grandmother Pam Fisher said about the recent exhibition: “I was so thrilled to see how James was able to explain to others on the day about his drawings, something so hard for him but he coped tremendously.”