High Sheriff steps in as Hugh Bonneville's understudy as West Sussex County Council launches new online safety campaign

At the launch of Digital Stories at Worthing Library on Monday, October 9, the High Sheriff, Andy Bliss, joked that he was the obvious person to act as the Downton Abbey star's understudy.

Mr Bliss provides an introduction to each of four new cartoons, launched on the council's wsccvideo channel on YouTube yesterday. He revealed he had agreed to stand in for the actor Hugh Bonneville, a Deputy Lieutenant of West Sussex.

Mr Bliss said: "Hugh Bonneville was going to be doing some of the voice overs but he had prior commitments, so I stood in.

"I used to be a police officer so I understand how vital it is that more and more people know how important online safety is. It was great fun to do and we had some brilliant filming at East Grinstead Library.

"We all know how to use technology and engage with technology, but we just need to be careful out there and that is what these films are all about."

Leading the launch event, Hannah Dow, digital safety delivery officer at the county council, explained the new cartoons will teach children how to stay safe online but they are also for parents and grandparents as well.

She handed out special limited edition storybooks to children aged four to nine attending the launch.

Mat Hasker, global web director at Get Safe Online, was also there to talk to parents about the campaign.

He said: "Personally, I have get kids myself and they like playing online games, and they are just getting into social media."

There are four cartoons on YouTube, Misinformation: The Cat is Out of the Hat, Privacy: A Family Day Out, Respect Online: Video Game Challenge, and Stranger Danger 2.0: The Mysterious Online Friend.

Jim Bartlett, head of service for community safety and wellbeing at the county council, said: "What a wonderful opportunity this is. We have had a seven-year partnership with Get Safe Online but this is something new and different.

"Across the whole of West Sussex, keeping safe online is a strategic priority. This important piece of work is really about trying to make the information we have more accessible, just to try to get the message across in a way that is a bit more fun and a bit more meaningful for everybody."

Children at the launch event were given a choice of glitter tattoos, which proved the perfect opportunity to chat to them about staying safe online. Mr Bliss joined in and allowed two of the girls to help do a crown glitter tattoo for his hand.