From Harry Potter to Minions - how Hartlepool amateur artist's hidden painted stones filled time in lockdown

Helena Dodds has made over 100 of the miniature works art while on furlough which she conceals around Summerhill Country Park and the Burn Valley to encourage youngsters to get out in the fresh air while play parks have been closed.

They have proved a big hit with children and parents alike with their colourful designs of everything from Harry Potter, funny faces, and dinosaurs to vehicles, little landscapes and animals.

Helena, 47, of Rift House, who has two grown up children, decided to express her artistic side at the start of April after finding two decorated stones herself while walking her dog at Summerhill.

"It just gave me an idea,” she said. "People started to find them and tag me in on Facebook and it went from there.

“Sometimes it’s not easy to get the kids to go out for a walk when they can’t use the play parks so it was just to give them a bit of incentive.”

Anyone who finds them is encouraged to take a picture and share it on the Hartlepool Rocks Facebook page, and hide it for someone else to find.

But Helena said she is happy for children to keep them if they are of a favourite character.

She uses nail varnish, which friend have donated, to create the pictures and never does the same design twice.

Helena, an accounts coordinator, also enlists the help of the children of some of her close friends to hide them in the local undergrowth.

She added: “It has given me something to do while on furlough. I’m surrounded by kids where I live.

"There’s a boy opposite me who loves to go out to try and find them so it has definitely achieved what I set out to do.

"I have thoroughly enjoyed myself and have loved doing it.”

Helena plans to carry on decorating stones and has lots of Halloween and Christmas ideas in store.

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