Birthday boy with '˜heart of gold' swaps party for beach clean

Instead of balloons and a party, the Hedworthfield Primary School pupil chose to spend his special day cleaning up rubbish left behind by litter louts on Sandhaven beach, South Shields.

It is just one of a number of selfless acts carried out by the caring youngster who has also raised hundreds of pounds of charities over the years by taking part and organising fundraising events.

His mum Natasha said: “We asked him if he would like a party for his birthday, but he said he wanted to take part in a beach clean up.

“It was Beach Clean Up week but we didn’t realise it was happening during the day when he was school. So we asked if he wanted to do it after school.

“It was quite a windy day, but he picked up quite a lot of plastic bottles and glass.”

She added: “He was disappointed. He didn’t realise how much rubbish people left behind. He just couldn’t believe people didn’t put their rubbish in the bins.”

Daniel, who made it to the finals of the recent Best of South Tyneside awards, first started to take part in charitable endeavours at the age of four.

He was bitten by then fundraising bug after taking part in a sponsored walk with his mum from Seaburn to South Shields.

Earlier this year, he completed a 100-mile challenge for Sport Relief, braving the Beast from the East to ensure he managed to clock up the miles, and hosted a cake sale.

Now, he is hoping to go one step further with his latest feat - walking 500 miles in aid of Children In Need.

Already, the youngster from Southlands in Hedworth, Jarrow, who is supported by his parents Natasha and Steven in his charitable events, has completed 200 miles of the target he has set himself.

He is hoping to complete his final miles on Children In Need day itself in November and raise at least £150 for the charity.

His mum added: “He was going out walking six miles a day, but now he is back at school it is a little harder, so we make up for it on a weekend and we walk 15-miles on a Saturday.

“He is such a loving child with a heart gold and we couldn’t be more proud of him.”

A fundraising page has been set up by his mum Natasha. Anyone who would like to sponsor Daniel visit /mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/danielr to make a donation.