A POPULAR Tŷ Hafan snow dog of footballer Gareth Bale has come out of his kennel to set up shop in Barry.

The children’s hospice snow dog featured in last year’s ten-week fundraising and awareness trail, and can now be found in the One Stop store, in Cwm Talwg, Barry. The sculpture, who stood outside Cardiff Castle, will see staff use him to raise more funds for its chosen charity, Tŷ Hafan.

Customers will be invited to take part in raffles, and sport-themed fancy dress and colouring competitions before the canine model leaves on April 8 to take up a two-week post in the One Stop, in Broad Street, Barry.

The Gareth Bale snow dog called Local Lad fetched £4,100 – the third highest bid in the snow dog auction at the end of the campaign on December 12 – when 43 snow dogs were sold.

Designed by Dale Edna Evans, he was sponsored and bought by One Stop, one of Tŷ Hafan’s major corporate sponsors.

Graham Dando, store manager at the Cwm Talwg One Stop, said he had actively strived to fetch Local Lad to the shop when he discovered Local Lad was destined for Barry.

Mr Dando said: “He arrived Sunday and will be here over Easter. I found out he was going to Broad Street, but now he’s got a home here.

“He’s getting an awful lot of attention.”

Shift manager, Yvonne Sinetto added: “We are chuffed to have him here.

“We just wish we could get Gareth Bale himself here.”

The store is open daily from 6am to 11pm.