EVEN the rain couldn’t wash the smiles off children’s faces, as they met their hero SpongeBob SquarePants.

The cartoon character – whose TV series and films have delighted kids around the world - was at The Brunel shopping centre today, entertaining kids with his wacky dance moves.

SpongeBob brought smiles to parents and other shoppers – as well as the youngsters who spent the day high-fiving and dancing with their favourite character.

Caroline Stout, 37, said her three-year-old daughter was “very excited” to meet her hero.

“It’s one of her many favourites,” she said.

“I thought it was absolutely perfect, especially in this rainy weather. She had a cuddle with SpongeBob.”

Mum Shaveta Anand, 34, found that SpongeBob’s distinctive outline proved useful when teaching her five-year-old son Ahaan different shapes.

“He saw SpongeBob once on TV and he remembered him. He [SpongeBob] was very useful, especially when I was teaching my son the shapes – otherwise it tends to be very boring.”

Pensioner John Mountney, 77, was shopping in The Brunel when he stopped to see what the fuss was about.

“It’s a good idea,” he said.

“You’ve only got to watch the kids – they’re there with him straight away.”

SpongeBob was in Swindon as part of the shopping centre's summer fun festival.

The free festival events all have a seaside theme – with a different event every Wednesday. Next week bosses at the shopping centre will dump five tonnes of sand outside busy shops – with shoppers able to watch it transformed by a sand sculptor.

Jane Stewart, deputy manager at The Brunel, said: “Summer is about the seaside and if you can’t go away for the summer, we’ve got lots of fun here.

“It’s about providing our customers with free entertainment over the summer.”

The Brunel’s summer fun festival runs until the end of August. Every week, staff are challenging children to find six seagulls hidden inside the shopping centre – with those able to find all six in with a chance of winning a £50 gift card.

For more, visit: www.thebrunel.co.uk