How Tramlines bosses made this Sheffield girl's lockdown birthday extra special

“Erin is a massive Tramlines fan,” says Helen, who has been taking her daughter to the city’s biggest music festival every year since she was seven.

“She always gets the commemorative t-shirt, but we couldn’t get one in 2018, as they’d sold out.

“I decided that one thing that would make her 11th birthday in lockdown absolutely brilliant is finding the missing t-shirt to complete her collection.”

Helen searched online and scoured eBay and social media, reaching out to everybody she could think of, before finally contacting us at The Star, two days before Erin’s big day.

Our reporters made a phone call to the Tramlines team – and everything started to fall into place.

“On Erin’s birthday morning, who should show up at our house, but Timm from Tramlines!” said Helen, aged 42.

“He – from a social distance, of course – gave Erin an array of hoodies and t shirts from last year’s festival and has sent us the design for her special 2018 version - where she is one of the featured artists!

“They didn’t have any 2018 shirts left, so they’re having one printed especially for her,” she added.

“He has gone over and above to make her birthday the best ever.”

Helen was full of praise for the festival team for going out of their way to help the birthday girl enjoy her big day.

“We are absolutely over the moon with the kindness and generosity of the whole Tramlines team - to do all this for a child they’ve never met, in a year where they don’t even know if their beloved festival will go ahead, is testament to the amazing community we have in Sheffield,” she said.

“Thank you to the Sheffield Star, and also to Darren at the printing company, who has already been in touch and promised some other merchandise too!

“Erin’s birthday in lockdown was brilliant.”