SCULPTURES of Mr Toad, Badger, Ratty and Mole have travelled all the way from Tynedale to a new home in Hertfordshire, after being constructed by local willow weaver Ruth Thompson and metal worker John Rutherford.
The four Wind and the Willows characters, and Toad’s famous motorcar, were commissioned by Garden City Greenway and took a total of five months to construct, before they were brought to Radwell Meadows Country Park to be made permanent features.
At John’s workshop in Kiln Pit Hill, each sculpture was first constructed by creating a metal base, forged by John himself, before Ruth got to work hand weaving, using a mixture of willow, oak, and chestnut.
“It was a proud moment for me to watch the positive public reaction to the figures,” Ruth said. “I hope they will be well loved there.”
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here