Estate opens up new events with fresh sculpture
A giant eel greeted visitors during the first of the open day events which have been relaunched at the Oteley Estate in Shropshire.
The snake-like fish, which has been carved by Joffrey Watson, known as The Chainsaw Bloke, from Much Wenlock, was fashioned from a fallen tree.
Now the unusual sculpture can be seen sitting among the daffodils and watching the mere in the distance among the 10 acres of garden on the estate.
Joffrey, aged 41, who hopes to compete in the European Chainsaw Championships to be held in September on the Ragley Estate in Warwickshire, said: "I have created literally hundreds of sculptures.
"The eel took about five days to carve using my chainsaw and I have also created an illustration and back-story about the eel to explain its appearance.
"My story features a boy called Jimmy Jones who disappears and travels to Wolverhampton to seek his fortune leaving villagers believing he has been taken by the eel.
"However, after the eel is caught, the boy returns back home safe and well."
Clare Mainwaring, from the family team at Oteley, said: "We are really excited to be welcoming visitors back to our market and gardens.
"We launched the events last year and loved giving local businesses a platform to sell in the area, as well as welcoming so many lovely visitors on to the estate.
"Our events will be monthly this year and the sculpture of the eel has been created fro a 150-year-old Stone Pine which fell over in November last year.
"We decided that rather than move it we could make it into a feature and it is now a sculpture of an eel which is also a bench.
"Joffrey has also created a back-story for the eel about how this mythical creature was killed after it was thought it was responsible for the disappearance of a young boy.
"However, the story tells of how the boy was later found safe and well.
"I think that the eel, which is about three metres long and one metre high, will become a meeting point and a point of interest for children as it is like a mythical creature from the Harry Potter books.
"Our open day events will now take place on the second Saturday of each month with 15 stalls in the market selling local produce.
"Spring has brought the gardens back into bloom again, which we hope visitors will enjoy as well as exploring our boathouse, walled garden, tower, Swiss cottage and the spectacular view across the mere.
"Now we also have this extraordinary new addition to the garden, carved from the trunk of the Stone Pine."
