A litter of Swinpups is getting ready to go walkies in classrooms all over town ahead of the UK’s first balloon dog art trail this summer.

Schools, colleges and children’s nurseries in Swindon are being invited to adopt and design their very own 80 centimetre-high balloon dog sculpture, as part of The Big Dog Art Trail’s learning programme.

Once decorated, the Swinpups will feature on the free art trail through some of the town’s best loved and historic places, alongside around 30 giant Swindog sculptures, which will be painted by professional and up-and-coming artists.

They will then return to their forever homes for schools and communities to enjoy for years to come.

The trail is being staged by global art trail producer Wild in Art and Wiltshire children’s hospice charity, Julia’s House.

As well as receiving a blank Swinpup sculpture to decorate and keep forever, participating schools and groups will be given help to design their sculpture and get their youngsters involved in the project.

Swindon Borough Council is backing the project as a learning programme partner.

It recently gave enthusiastic support for The Big Dog Art Trail, allocating £80,000 from a special UK Government levelling up grant to part-fund the event.

Cabinet member for culture Matty Courtliff said: “All children should have the opportunity to explore the arts and develop their creative skills with hands-on, real world experiences.

"Thanks to funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, we’re delighted to be supporting The Big Dog Art Trail and Julia’s House as the trail’s learning programme partner."

He added: "I’m very excited to see what our town’s budding young artists will create with their own Swinpups.”

Schools and groups that adopt a Swinpup will be given tips to help them fundraise a target amount of £500 for Julia’s House.

Chief executive Martin Edwards said: “We’re delighted that young people can take part in the Big Dog Art Trail adventure and get their paws messy while they create their very own Swinpups.

"Play and creativity is at the heart of our care for seriously ill children across Wiltshire; it’s a powerful way for the children to discover the world around them, communicate and develop skills and understanding.

“We hope schools and young people across Swindon have a lot of fun designing their own Swinpups and learning more about their local community and environment – we can’t wait to see where their wild imagination takes them!

"And they’ll be joined by the children at the Julia’s House Wiltshire hospice who will be designing their very own Swinpup too. They’re all going to be an exciting addition to the art trail.”

The trail runs from July 15 to September 3 and is expected to attract thousands of visitors from outside Swindon. Part of its purpose is to encourage people living in the town to re-discover it and it is hoped, provide a welcome boost for businesses.

It will end with a farewell finale where all of the Swindog and Swinpup sculptures will be brought together under one roof.

After that, all the Swinpups will return to their schools and communities as a paw-fect legacy to display.

The supersized Swindogs will be adopted at a special auction event to raise essential funds for Julia’s House.

Applications for a Swinpup need to be submitted by February 10 at the Big Dog Art Trail website: www.bigdogarttrail.co.uk/pups