A Bolt of Ryan’s Olympic creativity

Ryan Blanchard is just nine-years-old and attends Parish Church Primary School.

It took two months of hard work and imagination to build his mini stadium out of cardboard, coffee stirrers, kebab sticks and paper - a truly Olympic effort.

“I really wanted to make it because I love doing stuff like this,” said Ryan.

“I loved watching the Olympics and I especially enjoyed watching Usain Bolt win three gold medals - that was my favourite bit.”

He continued: “It took me a long time to build but I really enjoyed it and my friends think that it’s awesome.”

Ryan’s mum Louise Blanchard from Stanley Street said: “He’s done a brilliant job.”

“Ryan really kept at it and has done so well in working it out and putting it all together. He knew what he wanted to do and how to do it and nothing was going to stop him.”

“He’s also added some really nice touches of his own.”

Louise continued: “The telly was always on with the Olympics and he became such a massive fan of Bolt. He’s retained so much information about it - it’s amazing.”

“This has brought out a really great side of him.”

She went on: “He’s got his own little desk in my office, so all of his messy jobs are done up there, but we haven’t quite made our minds up yet about where we’re going to keep it because it’s quite big!”

Ryan said that he currently has no plans to build anything else at the moment.