Great North Snowdog's Christmas hospital stay

Young patients and staff on the children's unit welcome Tyne Tail Jack to The Northumbria hospital.

One of the Great North Snowdogs is spending Christmas in hospital to spread festive cheer to patients at The Northumbria in Cramlington.

Tyne Tail Jack, who was on Newcastle Quayside during the Great North Snowdog trail, is at the Northumbria Specialist Emergency Care Hospital until the New Year as part of a mini tour of the region.

He was one of 64 big dogs on the trail which ran from September to November and was organised by St Oswald’s Hospice. An auction of them raised almost £300,000 for the charity.

Designed and painted by artist Corinne Lewis-Ward, he stood outside North Group’s headquarters and featured scenes from the Quayside and word clouds summarising the traditional values and magic of the North East – including shipbuilding.

It’s the second time The Northumbria hospital has hosted a Snowdog, having had ‘Gooch’, the only mobile one on the Great North Snowdog trail, for a few days in October.

After The Northumbria hospital, Tyne Tail Jack will visit St John Boste RC Primary School in Washington in January.