Purbeck artist creates 20m-long sand lizard hill figure

The 20m-long lizard near Wareham is made of plywood

A new hill figure has appeared in Dorset that aims to raise awareness of the endangered sand lizard.

The temporary installation by artist Eilidh Middleton has been created in East Creech, near Wareham.

It was inspired by chalk hill figures that can be found on hillsides, such as the Cerne Abbas Giant and Osmington White Horse.

The 20m-long (66ft) lizard, which is made of plywood, will remain in situ for two weeks.

Sand lizards are one of the UK's most endangered indigenous species

Ms Middleton created the installation in partnership with the Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (ARC) Trust.

She said: "I've had a liking for lizards for a long time. I often draw them if they sit still long enough.

"I thought of the sand lizard being so diminutive and it is endangered so I thought, what if I do some kind of hill art, so it sort of evolved from there.

"I wanted to make it quite abstract and fossil-like, as if to say 'this might even become extinct', which would be a huge shame."

QR codes near the road link to information about sand lizards

Signs bearing QR codes that direct people to information about sand lizards on the ARC website can be found near the installation.

The unveiling was timed to coincide with World Lizard Day on 14 August.

Sand lizards are one of the UK's most endangered indigenous species.

According to ARC, habitat loss means they only occur naturally on protected heathland sites in Surrey, Dorset, Hampshire and the protected Merseyside dunes systems.