VALENTINE’S shoppers enjoyed a loving welcome when Miss Tees Valley Ailish Shaw gives out heart-shaped balloons and red roses.

The 22-year-old will be making her first public engagement since being crowned winner of the pageant.

After receiving a prize of £500 to spend in Cleveland Centre, rather than going on a shopping frenzy the Normanby 22-year-old will instead share the love with her fellow shoppers.

The Middlesbrough beauty was surprising shoppers today (Friday February 13) while Valentine’s Day itself will see Miss Tees Valley runners-up Beth Higgins and Laura Brookes joined by local radio personality Chris Sibley sharing the love with Saturday shoppers.

“To say a big thank you for shopping with us, we’ll be showing our customers just how much we love them on Valentine’s Day,” said centre manager Graeme Skillen. “And who better than Miss Tees Valley and her fellow pageant stars to say it with flowers and hearts?”

Talented singer-songwriter Ty Lewis, the Billingham-born 13-year-old who performed at the Miss Tees Valley final, will also be in the centre on Saturday afternoon to surprise shoppers with a love song or two.

The centre is also hosting a Valentine’s Day fundraising event for Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice featuring a tombola and mascot Zoe Bear.

Teessider Ian Jolly, who is joining Zoe’s Place patron and comedian Patrick Monahan raising funds for the hospice when they take part in the London Marathon, will be on a treadmill as he gets in some training for the big event.