How schoolgirl's 'Stay Safe' snake is helping South Shields children keep in touch

Schoolchildren have been leaving hand-painted stones and uplifting messages in Readhead Park, South Shields for the friends they haven’t been able to see for months due to the coronavirus lockdown.

After seeing the idea take off elsewhere in the borough, Sydney the Stay Safe Snake was created by six-year-old Mortimer Primary School pupil Lucille Reed, to help her keep in touch with her school friends.

Colin the Covid-19 Snake was started by children in Gateshead earlier this month and inspired Hebburn schoolgirls Harriet Barry and her friend Ellie Griffiths to create Quarantina the Quarry Snake - which now has hundreds of pebbles.

And children in East Boldon have also been taking part with Linky the Snake in Grange Park.

Now more than 50 pebbles are brightening up Readhead Park some including children’s names, messages to friends, rainbows or tributes to the NHS.

The Facebook group, created by Lucille’s mum Georgia Reed, has over 100 members with people sharing photos with their stones and connecting with each other virtually.

“I’ve read about them but we didn’t have one locally in South Shields so we thought let’s try and create our own,” said Georgia, 45.

“At first it was a way for Lucille to connect with her school friends – it’s in the park near Mortimer Primary School and I know a lot of the children are going there.

“Some of them are back at school and some are visiting on their daily walks.

“It’s a way for the children to keep in touch without actually seeing each other.”

Georgia added: “Now we’ve got over 100 members in the group, people are sharing and telling their friends and children from other schools are getting involved as well.

"We wanted to give him a friendly name and ‘stay safe’ is something the kids have heard a lot of recently.

“I try to post something on the Facebook page every day encouraging people to add to it and Lucille has been going down to check on him every day.”

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