Jaws lookalike raising funds for charity

He found fame as the double of a steel-toothed James Bond bad guy. But Jaws-lookalike Gary Tiplady has shown he has a heart of gold -- Chronicle Live reports.

Alongside his career making appearances as the legendary villain Gary, of Walkerville, Newcastle, creates wire mesh animal sculptures.

Now he has donated his latest works to help cheer up Tyneside cancer patients.

Gary grew to more than 7ft tall because of a brain tumour which caused a surge of the growth hormone condition Acromegaly in his late teens.



His striking looks have seen the 50-year-old invited to make appearances as Jaws across the world, mingling at celebrity parties with the likes of Michael Jackson, Madonna and Brit Ekland, as well as Bond actors Roger Moore, Sean Connery, Pierce Brosnan and Daniel Craig.

As a keen supporter of good causes across the North East, Gary decided to donate his latest works to the Charlie Bear Cancer Care charity.

Based at Newcastle’s Freeman Hospital, Charlie Bear aims to raise money to provide comfort and care for patients.

The sculptures were a welcome addition to the charity’s garden, where they will raise the spirits of patients undergoing gruelling cancer treatments.

Angie Taylor, from the charity, based at the Northern Centre For Cancer Care, said: “We’ve got a fox, a wolf, dogs and even an elephant.

“It’s fantastic. The response has been great. People are very interested in the sculptures and have said they really brighten up the garden.

“We’re very grateful to Gary for thinking of us like this.

“One man whose wife sadly passed away from cancer recently bought one of the sculptures and dedicated it to her.”

For more information on Charlie Bear Cancer Care, or to buy one of the sculptures, visit www.charliebearforcancercare.org.uk or call 0191 213 8615.

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