Hartlepool’s boxing champion Savannah Marshall shows her support for the 35ft inflatable Grinch charity campaign

Fresh from winning the vacant title at the end of October, the Hartlepool fighter has paid a visit to the town’s newest attraction – a 35 foot tall inflatable Grinch.

Savannah was pictured proudly showing off her WBO belt, which she handed Hannah Rankin her first stoppage defeat to win.

Bought by Hartlepool businessman and dad, Ray Liddell, as an early Christmas present for seven-year-old Grinch-loving daughter Jasmine, the attraction has been on display at the Park Avenue address since the end of November.

However, it was not until a passer-by offered to pay £10 to have her photo taken with the inflatable that Ray and his family decided to raise money for the town’s Alice House Hospice in memory of his dad, Frank, who died aged 77 in May after contracting Covid-19.

Savannah isn’t the only one wanting to get a glimpse of the Grinch, with people travelling from across the North East to view it.

The 49-year-old dad said: “The reaction has been amazing. We have had people coming from all over the North East from places such as Middlesbrough, Guisborough, Bishop Auckland, Murton, South Shields, North Shields.

"People are coming to Hartlepool who have never come here before.

"We even had delivery drivers from Sheffield who were driving past Hartlepool who were asked by their wives to divert into Hartlepool to get a picture taken with The Grinch.”

The Liddells wanted to thank the hospice for the care given to Frank, the former boss of Hartlepool businesses Kildale Car Sales and Lion Security, before his death.

The hospice revealed earlier this year that it had lost £1m in projected income following the cancellation of fundraising activities since the pandemic’s onset.

Titled the ‘Grow Your Hart’ campaign, donations can either be left at the property or via the online fundraising account – which is close to reaching it’s £25,000 target.

You can view the online fundraiser by clicking here.

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