York: Snooks sculpture trail to brighten city streets

The 21 Snook are each sponsored by a business or organisation based in the city

The streets of York will be filled with multi-coloured sculptures for eight weeks as part of a new art trail in the city centre.

The Snooks Trail, organised by tourist organisation Make It York and St Leonard's Hospice, runs from Saturday until 25 April.

The trail is formed by 21 individual 6ft (1.8m) tall Snooks.

Each character is sponsored by a businesses or organisation based in the city.

Sarah Loftus, from Make It York, said visitors and residents would easily be able to follow the trail around the city over the next eight weeks.

"It's amazing to be able to work with so many incredible businesses and organisations who help make York a great city for residents and visitors alike, and especially being able to partner with St Leonard's Hospice who make such a difference to people during such difficult times," she added.

The Snooks were first showcased in January at London's King's Cross Station, where commuters were given the chance to see the characters and have a photograph taken with them.

The Snook trail will run in York until 25 April

The Snooks were created by Sheffield-based illustrator and mural artist Sian Ellis.

She has worked on many charity sculpture trails across the UK helping to raise over £100,000 for charitable causes.

Each sponsoring organisation was then teamed with another artist to give each Snook its own distinctive look.

City Cruises York, JORVIK Viking Centre, LNER, York Barbican and York St John University are among those sponsoring the trail.

James Wainwright, head of fundraising at St Leonard's Hospice, called it an "exciting way" for people to see "the difference we make for people in York and the surrounding area".

He said once the trail was concluded the Snooks would be auctioned off to raise funds for the hospice helping "even more patients and their families in future".