0:00:06 > 0:00:07Hello. I'm Tom.
0:00:08 > 0:00:13I've had a fun day playing with my friends. Have you?
0:00:13 > 0:00:16Sometimes it can be hard to make new friends.
0:00:16 > 0:00:20And that's what Oliver finds out in tonight's bedtime story.
0:00:20 > 0:00:22Would you like to hear it?
0:00:22 > 0:00:25Fantastic! It's called Oliver And Patch.
0:00:25 > 0:00:30And it's by Claire Freedman and Kate Hindley.
0:00:30 > 0:00:33Oliver had just moved to the big city.
0:00:33 > 0:00:34It felt strange,
0:00:34 > 0:00:39and his old home in the countryside seemed far, far away.
0:00:39 > 0:00:43"I miss the green fields," Oliver sighed.
0:00:43 > 0:00:48"I miss the wide open spaces. Most of all, I miss my friends."
0:00:49 > 0:00:52One morning Oliver felt restless.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56Even though the rain was pouring down like silver needles,
0:00:56 > 0:00:59he wanted to be outside, to explore.
0:00:59 > 0:01:03People hurried by, unseeing and unlooking.
0:01:03 > 0:01:07Oliver glanced about wondering which way to go, when, suddenly,
0:01:07 > 0:01:11he saw it, bright as a poppy in a cornfield.
0:01:11 > 0:01:17A small, soggy, white ball of a dog trailing a streak of red leash.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21He was all alone, just like Oliver.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23"Hello," said Oliver.
0:01:23 > 0:01:25"Are you lost?"
0:01:25 > 0:01:28He looked at the little dog's collar tag.
0:01:28 > 0:01:29"Patch," it read.
0:01:29 > 0:01:30Just "Patch".
0:01:31 > 0:01:33Oliver looked around.
0:01:33 > 0:01:37No-one was calling for their little lost dog.
0:01:37 > 0:01:41"What shall I do with you?" Oliver said to Patch.
0:01:41 > 0:01:43"I can't leave you on your own."
0:01:43 > 0:01:46Before he knew it, Oliver had the lead in his hand
0:01:46 > 0:01:49and Patch was trotting along beside him.
0:01:49 > 0:01:53Oliver and Patch had a wonderful day getting to know each other.
0:01:53 > 0:01:59For the first time since moving to the city, Oliver felt happy.
0:01:59 > 0:02:02But, as dusk fell, Patch became sad.
0:02:02 > 0:02:08He sat on Oliver's desk, by the window, and gazed out longingly.
0:02:08 > 0:02:09Somewhere out there,
0:02:09 > 0:02:15in the rain-hazy twinkle of the city night lights, was his real home.
0:02:15 > 0:02:20Oliver woke the next morning to scratchy scuffling noises.
0:02:20 > 0:02:23"Oh, Patch!" Oliver laughed.
0:02:23 > 0:02:25They played all day long.
0:02:26 > 0:02:28Hide and seek.
0:02:28 > 0:02:29Tickle tummy.
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Bury the biscuits.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35Curl up and cuddle - their favourite.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38Watering the garden(!)
0:02:38 > 0:02:39Oops!
0:02:40 > 0:02:43But at bedtime, Patch seemed sad again.
0:02:43 > 0:02:44PATCH WHINES
0:02:44 > 0:02:47And even though it made him feel wobbly,
0:02:47 > 0:02:50Oliver knew he had to do the right thing.
0:02:50 > 0:02:53So the next day he made some posters.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56He secretly hoped no-one would see them.
0:03:08 > 0:03:12He stuck up the posters and asked at some shops and houses.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16"No, I've never seen that dog before," the shopkeeper said.
0:03:16 > 0:03:21"No-one I know is missing a dog," said his neighbours.
0:03:21 > 0:03:24Days slipped by and nobody called.
0:03:24 > 0:03:28Oliver began to believe that Patch would be his dog forever.
0:03:28 > 0:03:32He bought him a cosy red blanket and lots of toys.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36It was as if they'd always been friends.
0:03:36 > 0:03:42One morning, it was gently drizzling, Oliver and Patch went exploring.
0:03:42 > 0:03:45They wandered down a narrow street,
0:03:45 > 0:03:48past tall iron railings by an ancient church.
0:03:48 > 0:03:50Suddenly, Patch barked.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55He tugged hard on the lead and broke free.
0:03:55 > 0:03:57"Patch!" Oliver called, "Patch!"
0:03:58 > 0:04:04Breathless, Oliver reached the tiny park, hidden away like a jewel.
0:04:04 > 0:04:08A girl was sitting on the swings, sad and alone.
0:04:08 > 0:04:13Oliver looked at her red coat and red boots, and he knew.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18The little girl was hugging Patch, hugging and hugging.
0:04:18 > 0:04:23Oliver tried to be brave, but his world had turned grey again.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25"Hello, I'm Ruby,"
0:04:25 > 0:04:27the girl said, smiling at Oliver.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31"Have you been looking after Patch for me?"
0:04:31 > 0:04:35"It's been lovely, said Oliver," trying hard to smile back.
0:04:35 > 0:04:38"But I'm really going to miss him."
0:04:39 > 0:04:41Then he had a thought.
0:04:42 > 0:04:45"Ruby, do you think, maybe, you and Patch
0:04:45 > 0:04:47"would like to visit me one day?"
0:04:47 > 0:04:49"We'd love to," said Ruby.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54"But why don't we go and do something together right now?"
0:04:54 > 0:04:57"Woof!" barked Patch, "Woof, woof!"
0:04:57 > 0:05:00Oliver and Ruby laughed.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04At that moment, the sun burst out.
0:05:04 > 0:05:08The pavement shone as a million raindrops glistened like gold.
0:05:08 > 0:05:10The city looked beautiful.
0:05:10 > 0:05:16And Oliver realised he hadn't lost a friend, he had found another one.
0:05:18 > 0:05:19WOOF!
0:05:20 > 0:05:25That story was called Oliver And Patch. I hope you enjoyed it.
0:05:25 > 0:05:27Lucky Oliver made two new friends.
0:05:27 > 0:05:31I think they're going to have lots of good times together.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34Now, it's time for you to get cosy in bed.
0:05:34 > 0:05:38Perhaps you'll dream about new friends YOU might make.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40I'll see you again soon. Sleep tight.