A SIX-year-old who - inspired by walk hero Capt Tom Moore - sold off his own teddies has become the toast of the borough.

Little Leo Dean set up a donation station outside his Greenfield home, so well-wishers can contribute to his fundraising effort.

And after just three days the youngster had collected more than £600, which has now winged its way to Capt Moore's funds for NHS Charities Together.

His idea even earned a tweet from Capt Tom, who described the fundraising as a "pheomemal effort".

Meanwhile his older sister Ashleigh painted rocks with inspirational messages to be sold off for the cause - and collected a further £323.

Leo's selfless gesture also captured the hearts of local police, who dispatched two officers to present Leo with a gift for all his hard work.

His donation station was set up at the corner of Dacre Road and Manchester Road and featured his favourite toys and teddies.

While monitoring his post nearby, one of his frequent questions to mum Nicola was whether Capt Tom had reached £20million yet.

She said: "He has been out, socially distanced, for three days solid, even though he’s suffered massively today with his hay fever."

Well-wishers had been kept abreast of his fundraising feat via social media and a landmark was eventually reached.

She added: "With tears in my eyes I can now show his final donation is £602.30, which has been sent to the incredible Captain Tom Moore’s NHS fund.

"We are so immensely proud of him, and the kindness shown by our neighbours, family, friends and our Greenfield community.

"Thank-you to everyone who came by, sent a donation or sent a message of support. I have a very very proud boy sat on my knee right now."

The Deans have urged people in Oldham to continue donating to Capt Tom's appeal, through his Just Giving page, which has now topped £23million.

The 99-year-old war veteran, who was recently treated for a broken hip and skin cancer, has captured the public's imagination as he completed laps of his Bedfordshire back garden on a walking frame.

Soldiers from the 1st Battalion of the Yorkshire Regiment provided him with a guard of honour during his final few laps.

Some of the funds he has raised, through 900,000 plus donors, will go towards providing wellbeing packs for NHS staff, or sleep pods and reclining chairs for frontline staff working through the lockdown on hospital wards.

Electronic tablets will also keep patients in touch with their families.