'Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a...

Sheppey's mysterious Moo Mop Mouse has now gone into business.

The anony-mouse artist behind the little rodent, which has captivated the Island during the coronavirus pandemic, is selling Moo Mop Christmas cards and pyjamas.

And in a festive gesture he is auctioning off the original design used for the card for charity.

He announced: "I've decided to auction off the original picture used on the Christmas cards. I don't know how much interest this will get but I am hoping for quite a bit as I'd love to give some back to a local charity."

The A4 pencil drawing which shows Santa cradling little Moo Mop and is mounted in an A3 frame is going to the highest bidder. The auction began at £20 last month and now stands at £260. It is due to end at midnight tonight (Friday).

The cards are on sale for £1.50 each from Bosun's tea room in Queenborough and Rumour bistro in Sheerness High Street.

There is also a range of pyjamas and T-shirts featuring Moo Mop from www.beeandbear.shop. A percentage of the proceeds is going to the Island's Care 4 Christmas charity.

Moo Mop made her debut at the end of September as miniature paintings began appearing along Island's coastline.

The painter was determined to keep his identity secret because he feared prosecution from the authorities. But in a surprise move Swale council said it was so impressed by the creature that it offered an amnesty and began a hunt to track down the artist to discuss plans for an official commission.

In a rare break from cover the artist announced at the time: "I've been truly touched by the response which has pushed me to create a couple more along the way. But ultimately I have to remember that, although this has brought a lot of joy, it still is illegal to paint in such places.

"This leaves me in a predicament. I must remain unknown until I know I am not going to be punished in anyway from the council or any other governing body."

Three Moo Mop Mice were originally created to amused the artist's partner during lunch breaks from a stressful job but now number more than 10. Moo Mop has her own Facebook page with more than 2,000 'friends' where fans upload their own pictures, especially of children discovering the drawings.

The drawings have popped up at Warden, Minster, Sheerness and Minster and a particularly touching tribute to the Fallen of two world wars appeared overnight at Eastchurch in time for Remembrance Sunday. The latest featuring one of Santa's elves has appeared on the wall of a club in Minster.

The artist, dubbed Sheppey's answer to Banksy, has asked that the locations be kept secret so youngsters are surprised when they stumble over them.

It is the latest in a series of paintings which have been brightening up the Island.

Both Swale council and Minster parish council have been commissioning murals during the covid lock downs. One of the biggest is the recreation of JMW Turner's The Fighting Temeraire on the seafront at Minster created by Sheerness artist Richard Jeferies and paid for by Minster parish council.

For more details about Moo Mop Mouse email moomopmouse@gmail.com

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