Wiltshire: Eight-year-old turns drawings into cuddly toys

Lilia and her mother Polly Petrova from Marlborough, Wiltshire, started the business in April 2020

An eight-year-old said she feels "proud and accomplished" after turning children's drawings into cuddly toys.

Lilia and her mother Polly Petrova from Marlborough, Wiltshire, started a business called Lilia's Smiling Horses in April 2020.

"Lilia loves riding horses, she's been riding horses since she was two," Ms Petrova said.

"The first line of toys that we made were a line of horses with smiles on their faces,", said Ms Petrova.

Lilia said that seeing her drawings become toys was "exciting and a dream come true".

Ms Petrova said her daughter is "very involved with the whole thing"

Wanting other children to experience the joy of seeing their drawings become toys, the mother and daughter duo began offering the service to others, with Ms Petrova admitting that her daughter is a "bit of a control freak" when helping, in order to make sure the toys look similar to the original drawing.

"She is constantly supervising, she is very outspoken and always has an opinion", Ms Petrova, who works in the medical centre at Marlborough College, said.

"You know how artists are with their art, and she wants to make sure everything goes to plan, so is very involved with the whole thing.

"It is also a hobby for both of us that we love to do and gives us valuable bonding time together."

Lilia added that being part of the process is "satisfying, especially the part when we send them to the kids - I feel proud and accomplished".

Lilia said that being part of the process is "satisfying - I feel proud and accomplished"

A toy that really "stood out" for Ms Petrova and her daughter was a "memory toy" they made using the last drawing of a young girl before she died - a little princess with hearts.

"It was a gift from her aunt to her mum - and it got emotional for me and I did all that I could to make it as good as possible", Ms Petrova said.