Marie Difolco began doodling her character, Squiffy, when she lay in bed sick after a work accident. She then realised he could be put to good use on wine bags, and her Stupid Bags business was born.

The character appears in several different designs on the bags, which are available in a range of sizes and so far have been sold in Newcastle's Fenwick department store and in other outlets across the north east.

Marie explained:

"I looked at the greetings card market and thought there was a gap for a cross-market product.

"I am not competing with the greetings card industry. I want to encourage wine chains and supermarkets and, at the same time, the interest of card shops."