YEAR Six pupils from Corsham Regis School attended the unveiling of the Martingate Centre’s lion following a school competition to redesign the statue.

About 20 pupils attended the unveiling of the lion, which was restored and returned back to its original position with a new peacock design on Friday (Nov 13).

The winner of the competition was Holly Paradise, who received a certificate from the owner of the Martingate Centre, Bill Hall, during the ceremony.

Humphry Barnikel, a governor of Corsham Regis School, said: “It was lovely to see the lion there again. I think people missed it. I think the children particularly missed it because they could sit on it.

“It is nice to see it back in its old place. It is good to see it back in its old position.”

The Corsham Arts Society agreed to do the painting, which displays the words Corsham and Martingate in the peacocks’ tails.

A number of members of the Arts Society were present including Kathy Wise and Chris Taylor, who painted the peacock.

Mr Barnikel said: “It has previously been restored. A woman in the Toy Box took it on and she decorated it for the Olympics and then the world cup. “Holly was so proud and her mother came to see her get the certificate. She said she had never won anything before.”

Mr Hall bought the lion, which was previously on display in Bath, at an auction five years ago for £2,000.

He said: “It is wonderful. It has been a huge success. It is the second or third time that the lion has been restored.

“I am really keen to get some decent street art into the place. I would love to see more of that sort of thing. It is particularly good in the public realm.

“Holly did a great design and I think it is nice and I hope we can see more like that. I would like to have a mural on the side of the co-op building as well.”