Young Newcastle boy becomes Shaun on the Tyne Trail Champion

A nine-year-old boy from Wallsend has signed up to become a Shaun on the Tyne Trail Champion, dedicating his time during the summer holidays to finding each sculpture.

Oliver Thirlaway and his mum Linzy are long-time supporters of St Oswald’s Hospice, who are behind the trail, which is named Shaun the Sheep on the Tyne, as it is incredibly close to their hearts.

Oliver’s grandma Joan, who sadly died in 2014, spent her last days at the hospice, and Linzy’s best friend Jenny spent several weeks there, meaning that the hospice is incredibly important to Oliver and Linzy.

The family have fundraised in the past for the charity, and once they heard about the Shaun the Sheep trail, they decided to fundraise once again.

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Linzy said: “Oliver has asked friends and family for sponsorship to find the Shauns and so far, he’s been out on the trail with me, his dad, grandma, auntie and uncle. We are planning to do it in sections and already have spotted quite a few of the flock. It’s free, fun and a great way to discover new places in the city.

“For example, Oliver had no idea there was an actual castle in Newcastle until he spotted it during our Shaun search! It’s like being a Toon Tourist, we love it.”

Oliver said: “I wanted to do the trail to raise money for the hospice because they help a lot of people like my Aunty Jenny who are very poorly. Everyone there is kind and caring and they need money to keep doing a great job.”