Popular children's character will bring smiles and laughter to Padiham's youngsters with nightly tour of the town over Easter holidays

For Huggsy the bunny was out on patrol for the first of his nightly wanders around the town to help cheer up children who may be struggling to cope with the confinements of the coronavirus lockdown.

Huggsy aims to cover thewhole of Padiham over the Easter break and was delighted to see the streets of Padiham deserted for his first outing and people remaining in the safety of their homes and gardens.

Huggsy's 'owner' is Padiham grandmother Vivien Storey who first introduced him to residents two years ago at Christmas when she noticed many people were suffering hardness and sadness.

She said: "A lot of people were down in the dumps so off he went round Padiham giving out free hugs to try and cheer people up."

Viv added that as a childcare worker she has seen the effect the lockdown is having on youngsters and she wanted to do something to cheer them up and distract them.

Sadly Huggsy will not be able to give out any hugs this Easter but he has asked for people to give him a wave through their windows or from the doorstep or garden.

Viv aded: "Please be responsible and stay safe and do ot come out onto your street."

Keen to make sure that every child in Padiham gets to see Huggsy Viv has asked for people to message her privately on facebook with their street name.

Tonight Huggsy will set off at 6.30pm and walk up Herbert street across to Raleigh street, onto Burnley Road and up to to the Texaco garage. He will then walk down the top of Victoria, past the bungalows and along to Wordsworth and Ruskin avenues, crossing over and around Whitegate Close.