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Wallaby sculpture trail honours escape mob

Richard Price
BBC News, West Midlands
Jenny Harper A sculpture of a wallaby, situated at the entrance of a wildlife park. It is colourfully decorated and there is a raised flowerbed next to it.Jenny Harper
There are 10 wallaby sculptures located around the Moorlands

A mob of giant wallaby sculptures has hopped its way into the Staffordshire Moorlands as part of a new trail encouraging people to explore the area.

They can be found in towns, villages and beauty spots across the Moorlands – in a nod to the animals which famously escaped from a nearby private zoo in the 1930s.

There are 10 colourful sculptures located in various well-known places – including Rudyard Lake, Peak Wildlife Park and Biddulph Grange Country Park.

All the sculptures are situated outdoors, with car parking available nearby.

With the exception of the sculpture at Peak Wildlife Park (available to view between 10:00 BST and 18:00), they are accessible at all hours.

Real wallabies were commonly viewed around The Roaches, and although they are rarely seen now, there are occasionally sightings reported.

A group of wallabies was said by local historians to have been set free from the private zoo on the Swythamley Estate.

They bred, leading to a mob of about 50 of them across the area.

Jenny Harper A wallaby sculpture located by a lake, on a patch of grass. There are trees in the distance. The wallaby sculpture is colourfully decorated.Jenny Harper
The trail takes in some idyllic locations around the Staffordshire Moorlands

"We hope this trail will encourage people to get outside and have fun, and we're excited to see the Moorlands get even more wild about wallabies," said Peak Wildlife Park director James Butler, who invited people to come and visit their captive mob of wallabies.

Sarah Bird, creative director of arts organisation Outside, said each of the sculptures told a "unique story" of the people and places of the Moorlands.

"We can't wait for everyone to head out to find the sculptures over the summer and, in doing so, explore the landscape and discover the creativity across the district."

The sculptures will be in place until 5 September.

The full list of sculpture locations…

  • The Hideaway Café, Biddulph Grange Country Park, Biddulph, ST8 7TA
  • Rudyard Lake Visitor Centre and Cafe, Off Lake Road, Rudyard, ST13 8XB
  • Buxton and Leek College, Stockwell Street, Leek, ST13 6DP
  • Tittesworth Water Visitor Centre, Meerbrook, ST13 8SW
  • Manifold Valley Visitor Centre, Hulme End, SK17 0EZ
  • YHA Ilam Hall, Ilam, Ashbourne, DE6 2AZ
  • Earl's Drive, Off Red Road, Dimmingsdale, Alton, ST10 4BU
  • Cheadle Market Square, 58 High Street, Cheadle, ST10 1AJ
  • Blythe Bridge Library, Uttoxeter Road, Blythe Bridge, ST11 9JR
  • Peak Wildlife Park, Winkhill, ST13 7QR (outside entrance, entry fee not required to visit the wallaby sculpture)
Fancy a game of Where's Wallaby across Staffordshire?

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