A shopping centre has appointed a seven-year-old as its first-ever 'chief fun officer.'

Whiteley Shopping Centre in Fareham, chose Ellis Treeby from Locks Heath for the role.

Ellis was selected to explore the shopping centre's retailers and experiences in the lead-up to Christmas. This was to provide a child's viewpoint on how enjoyable they really are.

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The centre was impressed with Ellis' application, which highlighted his knowledge of the centre, enthusiasm for the role, and fun-loving nature.

His father, Mark, expressed pride in seeing Ellis, who has achondroplasia, a form of dwarfism, overcome challenges and embrace the role.

Ellis said: "I had the best day ever at Whiteley – I didn’t want it to end! My favourite thing was going climbing at Rock Up, and I loved toy testing at The Entertainer – I even got to choose a toy to take home!

"Lunch at Frankie & Benny’s was delicious and I got to be with my family the entire day which was even better. I can’t wait to come back again!"

Mia Gordon, centre manager at Whiteley, said: "We had so many wonderful applications from across our amazing community around Whiteley, and were blown away by everyone’s passion for the centre and the job!

"It was difficult picking just one candidate, but Ellis stood out as a brilliant choice for us to enjoy his perfect day at the centre and let us know his thoughts. We’re always looking for ways to enhance our visitor experience, and we’d like to thank Ellis for helping us do just that."

Last week, Ellis enjoyed a day at Whiteley with his family, starting with toy testing at The Entertainer and an interactive learning session at Explore Learning.

He also explored the latest reads at Waterstones and took a ride on the centre’s recently opened teacups and carousel.

Ellis and his family later relaxed with a lunch at Frankie & Benny’s.

The day concluded at one of Ellis' favourite spots at Whiteley, Rock-Up, where he took on some of their toughest climbs.

To find out more about the retailers and experiences on offer at Whiteley, visit whiteleyshopping.co.uk.