Say hello to Sheffield Cathedral's new mascot Rufus the Mouse

Multimedia Reporter @aliceevans3

Don’t scream - a mouse called Rufus is the newest member of the team at Sheffield Cathedral.

The cartoon mascot has been created to help young families engage with the Cathedral’s heritage without feeling intimidated.

Reverend Keith Farrow - pictured above with a cardboard cutout of the cheery rodent - hopes the curious nature of mice means Rufus will encourage children to find out more about the Cathedral.

“He goes places no-one else can go, and he sees things we don’t see.”

Rev Farrow will write stories about Rufus travelling through time as the mousy version of a Norman soldier, a monk, a Tudor lord, a bishop, a Georgian, and a modern day adventurer.

In one story Rufus will visit the Earl of Shrewsbury who will wake up from his tomb to teach the mouse about life in his day. The reverend is also planning to make a Rufus costume and soft toys of the adventurous mouse.

In Rufus’s debut appearance at the Heritage Open Day last Saturday, the mouse led some of the 1,500 visitors to the Cathedral on a treasure hunt.