WHEN Embsay five-year-old Henry Best read the Hungry Caterpillar book he decided to make his own with painted pebbles outside his home.

Mum, Heather, said Henry, who celebrates his fifth birthday today (Thursday), has enjoyed his daily exercise around the village during lockdown.

“It has been made more exciting by spotting lots of decorated stones along the way. One of his home-schooling units was about the Hungry Caterpillar and he made a caterpillar out of his decorated stones.

“He thought it would be nice if it could get longer and so the idea of the community caterpillar was created. He put his stones, along with a sign on the corner of the road to encourage others to add to it. At the last count the caterpillar had 116 stones in it and it’s still being added to everyday. A lot of villagers young and old are decorating stones to add to it.

“There’s lots of comments about how nice it is, how it is making people smile as they walk past and how everyone is getting involved. He is hoping it makes it all the way to his drive.”

Henry, who has an eight-week-old brother named Ralph, and is a pupil at Embsay Primary School, checks each day to see how his own caterpillar has grown.