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Bristol horse sculpture unveiled as World War One memorial

BBC A man and a woman stand in front of a horse made of horseshoesBBC
Farrier Jason Baggs, left, made the sculpture after a fundraising effort led by Diane Gait, right

A sculpture has been unveiled to remember those involved in the efforts to provide horses for the military in World War One.

The War Horse sculpture, made out of 380 used horseshoes by farrier Jason Baggs, was unveiled in Shirehampton near Bristol.

Shirehampton was home to one of the World War One Remount Centres, set up to train horses for the Western Front.

It will be a memorial to the horses and trainers who lost their lives.

The project has been the culmination of several years' hard work and fundraising by the members of Friends of Lamplighters Marsh and the plinth was supplied by Bristol Port Company.

Peaches Golding in her Lord Lieutenant of Bristol uniform, gives a speech
Peaches Golding, Lord Lieutenant of Bristol, was among the speakers at the event
MP Darren Jones gives a speech next to the sculpture, which is covered in a drape
Local MP Darren Jones also gave a speech
Three young people in sea cadet uniform stand around the horse sculpture
Sea Cadets guarded the sculpture before it was revealed

Representatives from Avonmouth Sea Cadets were present for the unveiling and Peaches Golding, Lord Lieutenant of Bristol, and Darren Jones MP gave speeches.

The sculpture was unveiled on the Daisy Field in Shirehampton, overlooking Avonmouth from where the horses were once shipped out to the front line.

People standing in a field
Large crowds braved some rain to watch the unveiling
A group of people standing in the rain in a field
Onlookers watch the ceremony taking place
The head of the horse sculpture made using horseshoes
The sculpture was made using hundreds of used horseshoes
The whole of the horse sculpture against a blue sky
The horse sculpture against a blue sky