Great North Snowdogs raise £367,000 in total for hospice

The auction was held at the Sage Gateshead and raised £259,200

Dozens of sculptures based on a character from the animated film The Snowman and the Snowdog raised £367,000 for charity it has been revealed.

An auction of the 64 snowdogs, which made up a free public art trail, and subsequent donations raised the money for St Oswald's Hospice.

Jane Hogan, from the Newcastle-based charity, said the response to the trail was "beyond anything we imagined".

Plans to hold a similar initiative in autumn 2019 were under way, she added.

Standing 1.5m tall (4ft 9ins), the colourful sculptures included several with North East-related designs, including two in the colours of Newcastle United and Sunderland.

St Oswald's Hospice provides specialist care for North East adults, young people and children with incurable conditions and needs to raise £7m each year through voluntary donations.

Disco Dog, designed by mosaic artist Natalie Guy, was auctioned for £9,200 - the highest price paid for one dog.

The auction was held at the Sage Gateshead and raised £259,200

Tyne and Wear residents formed the majority visitors to the trail, but some travelled from further afield

The charity needs to raise £7m each year from donations