THE MASCOT of 2018’s answer to Snowdogs by the Sea has been named.

Following the huge success of The Martlets’ campaign last year, which featured 44 ceramic dogs on an eight-mile trail around Brighton and Hove, the hospice will launch Snailspace next autumn.

Staff and volunteers at The Martlets had whittled down their favourite four names for the Snailspace mascot – SnailyMcSnailspace, Martisse, Oscar Go and Geronimo – before putting the final decision to a Facebook vote over the weekend.

SnailyMcSnailspace paid tribute to the name of polar research vessel Boaty McBoatface, Martisse was a portmanteau of artist Matisse and Martlets, and Oscar Go was a play on the French word for snail: escargot.

Ultimately Geronimo was the most popular as voted by the public, named after a record-breaking land snail from Hove.