RESIDENTS had the winter blues washed away when staff at a Darlington retirement village dressed u as Smurfs.

Middleton Hall was awash with colour to bring a bit of cheer to the residents on ‘Blue Monday’.

The third Monday of January has recently been branded the most depressing day of the year but staff at the Middleton St George were determined residents would have a smile on their faces.

With staff dressing up, residents were welcomed to the coffee morning by blue faced Smurfs and any thoughts of sadness were removed immediately to be replaced with smiles and laughter.

Moira Taylorson, front of house supervisor at the home, said “We may look blue but we definitely don’t feel it. Today is all about having a laugh, whether it’s dressing up, listening to resident’s favourite happy songs or hearing some of the limericks that staff and residents have composed for the day.”

All the staff had been asked to compose their own little funny ditties or limericks with the aim to put a smile on everyone’s faces.

The pastry chefs and bakers paid their own special tribute by baking and decorating some Smurf cakes.