Vikki Raby from Willaston and her family of 11 children have won Hospice Isle of Man’s Big Splash summer holiday challenge.

The family have won a ‘bumper package’ of prizes sponsored by local businesses.

More than 200 entries were received for the challenge held over the school summer holidays, which tasked people to complete the Big Splash public art trail, emailing photos of their competition certificate from Hospice shops to Isle of Man Newspapers.

Now closed, the Big Splash was a public art project featuring individually designed dolphin sculptures installed at landmark sites around the island.

The project was to raise ‘vital funds’ towards the five million pounds Hospice needs annually to continue providing its range of end-of-life and palliative care services, which are delivered at no cost.

Hospice Isle of Man chief executive officer Anne Mills said: ‘As with all the Big Splash events, our summer holiday challenge attracted a fantastic response.

‘It provided not only an opportunity to win some truly amazing prizes but also to explore our island’s magnificent countryside and “get up close and personal” to so many beautifully designed dolphin sculptures.

She added: ‘We’re very grateful to the businesses who generously donated the prizes, the quality and, importantly in this instance, the quantity of which I’m sure will be greatly welcomed by our worthy winners.’

Vikki and her family won: a £200 Robinson’s voucher, a cinema ticket for four people for the Palace Cinema, a ticket for four people for the Broadway Cinema, entry to the Wildlife Park for four people, a 10-session swim pack (adult) and 10-session swim pack (child) at the Northern Swimming Pool, a 45-minute riding lesson at Ballawhetstone Equestrian Centre and two full-body massages or 50-minute treatment of choice at King’s Spa (adults only).

The art trail is closed but people can bid for one of the dolphin sculptures at the Big Splash auction next Wednesday, October 12, evening at the Villa Marina.

People can book their free tickets for the evening, which starts at 7.30pm, and register for a bidding paddle at thebigsplash.im/event/auction.

Individually designed and painted by local and UK artists, the dolphins will also be available to view one last time at a ‘farewell event’ taking place this weekend.

This will take place at the Villa Arcade on Saturday and Sunday, October 8-9.

Tickets for the sessions, which run between 10am-12pm and 2pm-4pm, as well as further information is available at www.bigsplash.im.

The Big Splash follows on from a 2019 Wallabies Gone Wild initiative which involved placing giant painted wallaby sculptures around the island.

The Hospice raised £250,700 from its auction night with 29 of the fibreglass animals sold, one selling for £25,000.