Lion statue damaged by car restored

Stonemason Paul Booth, left, and Friends of Weelsby Woods members Lee Grey and Jemmima Edwards with the lion before it was restored

A lion statue damaged last year when a car crashed into it has been restored.

The iconic stone figure is one of two that have taken pride of place outside Weelsby Woods nature reserve in Grimsby since the 1950s.

A community group raised £10,000 in just a week to pay for the repairs with money donated from as far as Australia.

Jemmima Edwards, of Friends of Weelsby Woods, said the group is "really excited" for the return of the 148-year-old statue.

It was damaged in April after being hit by a car.

The fundraising target included the costs of transportation, repair, installation, cleaning and a noticeboard outlining the lions' history and importance to local identity and culture.

It was taken to Booths Stonemasonry in Lincoln in need of a new face and three new paws.

The Weelsby Woods lion statue was damaged last year

Ms Edwards told BBC Radio Humberside: "We had people from Australia who used to live in Grimsby messaging us saying they hadn't been to Grimsby for 40 years but they still wanted to donate to the lion.

"It's been absolutely phenomenal and people have been incredibly generous."

It is expected to return to the Lincolnshire beauty spot soon, where it is hoped the two statues will be left alone. The remaining lion was vandalised in January.

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