Shaun the Sheep spends summer term at Shoreham school, ahead of art trail coming to Brighton and Hove in September

Staff and pupils at Herons Dale Primary School have been having fun with Shaun in the build-up to the trail and everyone has worked together to paint a sheep for public display.

Tracy Vise, learning outside the classroom lead, said: "Every member of our school community had the opportunity to be part of the painting. Being a special needs school, inclusivity is a high priority for us and it seemed fitting to be able to get everyone involved."

Shaun has been with the school for the summer term, taking part in the Move It Move It topic and helping with health and safety checks for a whole school sponsored walk by visiting places the children would need to go to on the journey.

Tracy explained: "The school committed to raise £600 for the Martlets, a local charity who provide essential services to local people affected by terminal illness. Staff and family members took part in a sponsored walk which was approximately eight miles long. We started at school, headed off road up to Truleigh Hill, down to Mile Oak Farm and then back to school again. The group took about three-and-a-half hours, not including a tea and cake stop! A fantastic £1,067.50 was raised, including Gift Aid, which went straight to the Martlets.

"Children also had their chance to pull the mini Shaun and / or cuddly Shauns around our playground. They took part in sheep activities and had the chance to watch Shaun the Sheep episodes in our hall.

"It was then time for us to paint Shaun. Shaun has now been collected and has gone out to pasture for the summer. We hope that lots of people will get involved with the trail in the autumn. We have really enjoyed our time with our mini Shaun and work on this will go towards our Artsmark Award."

Herons Dale is one of approximately 80 organisations that are decorating sheep for the Shaun the Sheep By the Sea Art Trail, which will take place from September 9 to November 5.