A NINE-YEAR-OLD boy is taking on a walking challenge at midnight in honour of his granddad.

Holgate's Theo Joicey will follow a 6.5 mile route under the night sky on Saturday for the at home hospice team which cared for his granddad.

His mum Kate said the past few months had been a "tough time" for the family after losing Jed Kearney five days before Christmas last year.

Now the family is preserving his memory by joining together for a charity challenge.

The team started out with Grandma, Godmother Sally Ann, Auntie Jude and cousin Lauren - but during a bedtime story, Theo asked to take part.

Kate told The Press: "It was probably only a couple of months ago and the thought never entered my head for Theo doing it because we've just lost my step dad. He's been like my dad really.

"We were going to sign up for it and Theo sat next to me and said 'Oh I'll do it'. He was keen, he was up for it so we signed up.

"He was Grandad's little shadow from being born and they had a wonderful bond.

"When Theo was 10 months old he went into nursery on a morning and he went and picked him up from nursery. He spent a lot of time with them and so it was very much Theo and Granddad were always together really, playing in the garden in the little house.

"It was difficult at the end with Covid last year. Everybody was having to stay away from everybody and Jed just got poorlier and poorlier. For Theo he wants to give something back to the nurses who looked after his Granddad.

"The hospice team were amazing - just such wonderful people, so caring.

"They just treated him as a human being.

"It's going to be a long day. It's quite a big thing for a little one really. It really means something for us all.

"It's been a really tough time for us all and I'm so proud he wants to do this to give something back to the hospice."

Almost £500 has been raised so far. You can donate to Theo's fundraising page by visiting https://bit.ly/3zQdlBj

Theo said: " I'm really excited to be doing the midnight walk. I am really happy with all the money I have raised so the nurses who looked after my grandad can help other people when they need it.

"I'm also looking forward to being out after dark and having midnight snacks on the way round."