Peppa Pig's big birthday - and her lovely links to Sunderland

Happy birthday Peppa Pig. The children’s favourite is 20 years old.

And we reckon she is still as loved in Sunderland as ever. These photos from the Echo archives show why.

A big hit at BHS

It was a chilly day in January 2010 when the character was in High Street West outside BHS.

Look at the crowds which turned out on that January day 14 years ago.

She’s one of our own

Is Peppa really a Sunderland fan? Looks like she might be if this 2011 photo is anything to go by.

She was at the Stadium of Light to help launch a funfair.

Peppa had her photo taken to preview the event with Gary Hutchinson of Sunderland Football Club and Kenneth Reader of Corporate Funfairs.

Then, she was there on the day of the fair and so was 16-month old Amelia Young from Roker.

11,000 were there to meet her

The children’s favourite was just as much a hit when she visited the Prince Bishops Shopping Centre in Durham in November that year.

An impressive 11,000 people came along, including four-year-old Dixie Martha Baker, from Washington, who went with her little sister Elma Marigold and her mum and dad.

She said: "I love Peppa Pig. She is pretty and has a lovely pink dress. She is always nice to her friends too." In 2018, Peppa was the guest of honour at a 10th anniversary party for Dame Dorothy Day Care which is based at Dame Dorothy Primary School in Dock Street.

Tell us about the children’s TV character you loved the most when you were young, by emailing [email protected]