AN animal-mad youngster is the cat’s whiskers when it comes to fund raising.

Budding ‘Attenborough’ Thea Caine, a pupil at Burnopfield Primary School, near Stanley, is spending her summer raising funds for tiger conservation programmes in aid of the Born Free Foundation.

The five-year-old has earned her stripes by raising £570 for the charity and even made a mini-documentary. Thea, who is heading to Year One, found her passion with her much-loved smaller version.

She said: “I love my cat Charlie and hope he lives forever.

“I like tigers because they have stripes and roar. They need to be looked after.

“I have given all my money to them and I am super-duper proud.”

Mum Cheryl Nicholson, herself an area conservation manager for the RSPB, said: “I am so proud of what Thea has done.” It was her idea to support Born Free’s ‘Big Cat Nap’ and she really wanted to make a little documentary to help others learn about tigers.”

“One of her toughest challenges was to stay in bed for 17 hours in a sponsored ‘sleepathon’- it’s not quite as long as a male tiger sleeps but a good effort for a five year old! Now she is looking forward to going back to school and telling her classmates all about her summer expeditions!”

Born Free co-founder and star of the 1966 film, Virginia McKenna said: “What a great little girl – putting all her energy into this for the tigers. Thea’s documentary is very sweet indeed.”

Thea’s video has now been viewed more than 500 times and can be watched at https://vimeo.com/224902735. Her Just Giving page at: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/cherylandthea.