A MUCH-LOVED York volunteer has come up with a puzzling way to celebrate turning 70.

Ten years after celebrating her 60th birthday by visiting 60 pubs, Sheila Johnson has decided to mark her 70th with another challenge - doing 70 jigsaws.

Sheila, who lives in Layerthorpe is an avid fundraiser for St Leonard’s Hospice in York, Sheila and her husband Mick, are intent on filling life with fun and adventure and so wanted to do something different to celebrate Sheila’s three score years and ten, whilst supporting their local hospice.

“When I was 60 we visited 60 pubs throughout the year, but we don’t drink now so we hit on the idea of buying 70 jigsaw puzzles from our local St Leonard’s Hospice charity shop at Layerthorpe,” said Sheila.

“It’s been great. The sunflower one took me four and half days and it’s now been framed. Mick was a great help and fantastic at the edging, trees, sea and sky pieces. He’s far more patient than I am.

“I enjoyed some more than others. I really enjoyed one called Zodiac which was a circular one with illustrations from medieval manuscripts. There were some humorous ones too. One called Fur Ever Legends with famous people portrayed as dogs or cats. Clint Eastwood became Clint Eastwoof.”

In total, Shelia spent £129 on jigsaws, most of which were 500 pieces, then gifted them back to the shop to be sold on. She made sure any with pieces missing were replaced and has listed all the puzzles, the date completed and the company who made it. She’s also taken photographs of each one completed.

She has already started collecting 70 soaps from her favourite soap stall in York’s Shambles Market, Janurelle. For every seven soaps bought, she gets one free which she then gives as a random act of kindness to someone else.

“It’s great. I gave one to a young girl in Sainsbury’s the other day as she looked a bit sad. Apparently, she went to the market stall and bought another one she liked it so much,” said Sheila.

Ricky Mohindra, head of retail at St Leonard’s Hospice, said: “Sheila is a regular visitor to our shop in Layerthorpe, and a real friend of the charity.

"She is a breath of fresh air and loves supporting others. As the Hospice only receives approximately a quarter of its funding from the NHS, we rely so much on people like Sheila and Mick.

"Without them we would not be able to care for the many people who need hospice care.

“We are so grateful to them for the work they do. As well as supporting the Hospice, they also bring an element of fun and happiness into the lives of others, which is always welcome.”