Famous Milton Keynes concrete cows repainted

The concrete cows have been painted in the style of a Friesian, a renowned dairy breed

A herd of concrete cows has been repainted to preserve the famous public art.

The models in Milton Keynes are replicas, made by Bill Billings, of the originals designed by artist Liz Leyh, in 1978.

While the originals live at Milton Keynes Museum, the replicas are visible from the road and the West Coast Mainline in Bancroft Park.

Artist Emma Wilde, who is repainting the cows, said working on the famous cattle has been "lovely".

Artist Emma Wilde said she had been lucky with the weather so she could paint the cows

"My parents moved here in the 1970s, I've kind of grown up with the concrete cows, so it's been a real joy to be part of their repainting," she said.

The original cows were made as a leaving present from the Milton Keynes Development Corporation - which oversaw the building of the "new town".

But because the originals were quite delicate a replica second set was created, made from concrete and wire, to live outdoors.

The Bancroft Park cows were designed to withstand the outdoor elements

Hannah Bodley, from the Parks Trust in Milton Keynes, said: "For them to be out in the open elements and used and engaged with on a regular basis, they needed to be made from a bit sturdier materials."

The cows have been repainted before, including 10 years ago, when the son of Bill Billings, Ryan Billings, turned them into skeletons.