North Tyneside streets taken over by human-sized Morph models

Morph's Epic Art Adventure art trail was created by Wild in Art

Twenty human-sized versions of vintage kids' TV character Morph have gone on display.

Morph - a mischievous boy made of modelling clay - made his stop-motion animation debut on classic BBC1 art shows in the late 1970s and early 1980s, alongside presenter Tony Hart.

While Mr Hart might have thought one cheeky Morph one too many, he has since multiplied in North Tyneside.

Enlarged 5.9ft (1.8m) versions are forming a public art trail in the area.

Rather than squabbling about spilt paint as seen on bygone programming, the colourful collection instead smiles silently at visitors to Whitley Bay, Killingworth, Forest Hall, Tynemouth, North Shields, Wallsend and Cullercoats.

Each sculpture of the Aardman Animations character has been individually designed and will stay on display until 3 April.

Morph received his own Blue Peter badge in March 1981 when presenter Sarah Greene visited the Aardman studios

Peter Lord, who created Morph with his friend David Sproxton, said he was "thrilled" to be working with North Tyneside Council on the Morph's Epic Art Adventure art trail.

"Morph has been making mischief and encouraging creativity in generations of kids since the seventies, and we hope the people of North Tyneside - young and old - are inspired to get creative and join Morph for an Epic Art Adventure," Mr Lord said.

William Harbutt, who invented Plasticine, was born in North Tyneside and so the council said it was fitting the trail was in the area.

It is not the first time Morph has had a new lease of life beyond dusty VHS cassettes and old annuals. In 2013, almost 40 years after his TV debut, Morph made a comeback following a successful crowdfunding campaign.

The 20 sculptures can be seen across the borough

Tiger Morph is one of the individually-designed sculptures