The Wallace and Gromit trail that wowed people across Bristol last year has raised £2million for children's hospitals in the city.
Gromit Unleashed 2 saw 67 sculptures of Nick Park's characters placed around Bristol and the surrounding area, with designs from brands including Lego and Star Trek.
Fans spent a combined 34,000 days hunting for the popular sculptures, which were visited more than three million times.
The Grand Appeal, which is the Bristol Children’s Hospital charity, has announced the trail raised £2million for the hospital, and for the newborns' intensive care unit (NICU) at St Michael’s Hospital.
Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park celebrated the fundraising success by visiting Bristol Children's Hospital and giving a one-to-one drawing class to seven-year-old oncology patient Kara.
Park, who is the Grand Appeal's patron, said: "Last summer, Gromit Unleashed 2 took the city of Bristol by storm with its innovation and creativity.
"It is fantastic to see, first hand, the real difference the money will make to so many young patients – like Kara – and their families from across the South West who are expertly cared for at the hospital.”
The Grand Appeal is supporting more than 100 pioneering projects valued at £5million at the hospital and NICU.
The £2million raised through Gromit Unleashed 2 will fund a ground-breaking research programme in paediatric intensive care, a revolutionary 3D bio-printing service and other initiatives.
Grand Appeal director Nicola Masters said: “Everything that we do here at The Grand Appeal is to make Bristol Children’s Hospital and St Michael’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit the very best they can be.
"We believe we have now run three of the most successful charity arts trail in the world, and we’re so grateful to all our supporters who have helped us reach this latest milestone.
"The money raised will have a life-changing impact on the brave young patients and families that we meet every single day.”
Bryony Strachan, medical director of the children’s hospital, added: “On behalf of all the staff, patients and families here at Bristol Royal Hospital for Children and the neonatal intensive care unit at St Michael’s Hospital, a massive thank you to everyone that made the Gromit Unleashed 2 trail so fabulous."
Aardman animation studio is celebrating 30 years of Wallace and Gromit in 2019.
To find out more about the Grand Appeal and how you can support Bristol Children’s Hospital and St Michael’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, visit www.grandappeal.org.uk.
