YOUNGSTERS from all over Bromsgrove were dressing up on Friday and taking part in the Barnados Big Toddle.

Children from Holywell Primary and Nursery in Lickey, teamed up with tots from Lickey Hills Primary to take their toddle to the top of the Lickeys, with youngsters dressing up as safari animals to take a 10 minute toddle around the viewpoint up on Monument Hill, and making friends with one another in the process.

Naomi Lane, foundation stage leader at Holywell Primary, said: “It went really well. We went up to the Lickeys and it was a nice day. We met with Lickey Hills Primary and we all toddled round the castle , and then sat down and had a photograph together. We made new friends and raised money for charity. It was a lovely day lovely weather and a lovely community feel to it. it’s the first thing we’ve done together recently and it was such a nice day.”

Over in Hanbury, toddlers from Pippins Pre-School Nursery donned animal–themed masks for their toddle, crawling through tyres, bouncing on trampolines and balancing on plastic crates to raise money.

Patricia Moore, who runs the pre-school, said: “This is a great cause and a fantastic way for the children to learn about people who are less fortunate than themselves and ways in which they can help them.

“They all had great fun doing the obstacle course in our field, wearing their animal masks, and family and friends have been very generous in their sponsorship, so thank you.”

The Big Toddle was organised by Barnados, and has been running since 1997. This year’s toddle was part of the charity’s 150th anniversary year celebrations.