Ipswich mammoth called Wool.i.am

The replica of a woolly mammoth has been at Ipswich Museum since the 1980s

A life-size woolly mammoth model has finally been named - thanks to inspiration from The Black Eyed Peas singer and The Voice star Will.i.am.

Ipswich Museum has had the previously unnamed model of the prehistoric mammal since the 1980s.

The museum's under-fives group has now chosen Wool.i.am from a shortlist.

Rejected names included Manny, the mammoth in The Ice Age films, and Mick or Micky after Ipswich Town manager McCarthy and ex-captain Mills.

Jayne Austin, museum development manager, said: "We'd just never named him, even though our stuffed rhinoceros has been called Rosie since the 1960s."

Woolly mammoths were believed to have lived in the Ipswich area until 11,500 years ago, the museum said

The newly-named Wool.i.am is in the main room at Ipswich Museum

Woolly mammoth teeth, found in Suffolk, are on display at the town's museum

She added: "There was already a Manny from The Ice Age movie and we think our mammoth is unique, so we wanted a unique name.

"We don't know what Will.i.am thinks of it yet, but he'd be more than welcome to visit us."

The replica mammoth was created for the museum to complement the displays of actual remains found in the Ipswich area at sites including the Stoke railway tunnel at Stoke High School.

The species is believed to have lived in the area until 11,500 years ago, the museum said.

The museum said Will.i.am would be welcome to meet his near-namesake