Man behind Save the Birmingham bull petition 'proper chuffed'

Network Rail released an image of what the sculpture will look like at New Street Station

A man who started a petition to save the Birmingham Commonwealth Games bull said he was "proper chuffed" with its new home.

Originally destined for scrap, it was announced on Wednesday the artwork would move to New Street station.

Karl Andrews' petition garnered more than 15,000 signatures to keep the sculpture in the city and he said he was proud of the impact it had had.

"I see it as a piece of art and art should never be destroyed," he said.

The animatronic bull was the star of the Birmingham 2022 opening ceremony over the summer and attracted thousands of visitors when it later went on display in Centenary Square.

It is largely made of foam and could not be kept outside in poor weather conditions and so its creators had planned to dismantle it after the end of the Games.

Mr Andrews said he was looking forward to seeing the bull without the JCB beneath it

Mr Andrews, who describes himself as an "adopted Brummie", heard the news on BBC Breakfast and said he could not let it be destroyed.

"It caused such a reaction in Birmingham," he said. "I saw it in Centenary Square - it was quite moving seeing it up close."

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When he heard it was going to be saved, he had hoped to see it installed at the under-construction HS2 terminus when it was completed, but said New Street Station was "a good option".

"We travel a lot by train so I'm going to see it a lot," he said.

"It needed a new home," he added. "There are not many places that could accommodate it."

The mechanical bull will be static in its new home after interacting with performers during the opening ceremony

When the bull arrives at its new home in the railway station, it will be slightly different to how it was at the Games. The main difference is that it will be static, whereas during the ceremony it moved and interacted with dancers.

Mr Andrews is not too concerned by this. "It doesn't have to move," he said. "There were more than enough happy people having pictures with it when it wasn't moving.

"It's got to be made safe and put in a position where it's not going to be damaged," he added.

Reflecting on the impact of his petition, he said he was proud to have played a part in keeping the bull in Birmingham.

"If it wasn't me, it would have been someone else," he said.