Gromit 'grand trail' for Bristol Children's hospital

A "grand trail" of 60 Gromit statues are to grace the streets of Bristol for 10 weeks next summer.

The five-foot tall (1.5m) models of the Oscar-winning animated characters will be painted by artists to raise cash for the Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal.

It aims to raise funds for Bristol's Children's Hospital through sponsorship and a charity auction afterwards.

Wallace and Gromit creator Nick Park said he was very pleased with the end result.

"They were made surprisingly quickly and I'm very particular exactly how Gromit looks and that he's in character," he said.

"The guy that did it made the original sculpture from the clay models in polystyrene and then a mould was made, and now they've been cast in fibreglass."

'Well-loved'

Each model will be sent out to either a national or international artist who will paint them in whatever style they choose.

They will be put on display in a similar way to the Bristol Zoo gorilla trail - which raised £427,000 for the zoo's gorilla conservation projects and Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal

Mr Park said: "Gromit is quite well-loved and the children's hospital is very close to people's hearts in Bristol and beyond.

"I hope people will get behind it and support Gromit."

Wallace and Gromit's Grand Appeal was formed 17 years ago after a public charity appeal to build a new children's hospital enlisted the help of Bristol-based animation studio, Aardman Animations.