Highland cow unveiled by leisure firm

The installation follows a commission that involved hundreds of individually welded steel bars, a tractor and the removal of a workshop wall.

The new sculpture - affectionately named Gruff by its creators - has been installed at the entrance to Salop Leisure's Emstrey headquarters, where it welcomes visitors to Salop Leisure, Love Coffee and Love Plants.

The sculpture was commissioned to replace the site's previous dragonfly and eagle sculptures, which have been relocated to holiday parks.

Salop Leisure wanted to introduce a new attraction for visitors, with Gruff now taking pride of place as a permanent feature.

The Highland cow is the work of two artists who have recently joined forces to establish a new sculpture business, Anvil & Ivy Limited.

Walsall-based classic car restorer Sam Drinkwater and Ironbridge sculptor Nik Burns met representatives from Salop Leisure at the RHS Malvern Spring Festival, where discussions began about creating a bespoke sculpture for the Shrewsbury site.

Following a brainstorming session, the pair began work on what became known as 'Project Gruff'.

The sculpture was constructed from flat sheets of mild steel, which were rolled and cut freehand to create the cow's body and head.

Hundreds of individual lengths of steel bar were then cut, bent and welded into place to recreate the Highland cow's distinctive shaggy coat.

The horns proved particularly challenging, requiring steel tubing to be shaped, welded and textured to achieve the finished appearance.

However, one of the biggest challenges came when the sculpture was ready to leave Nik's workshop in Ironbridge. At nearly a tonne, Gruff was too large to fit through the workshop entrance.

The artists had to remove the back wall of the building and enlist the help of Nik's landlord and a tractor to lift the sculpture onto a trailer.

Gruff was then transported to be galvanised, receiving a protective zinc coating to withstand the elements, before making the journey to Salop Leisure, where he was lifted onto his permanent plinth.

Ed Glover, head of Marketing at Salop Leisure, said, “We are very pleased with the new addition and our visitors certainly love seeing Gruff.

"A huge thanks to Nik and Sam for creating something special for us, and going to so much trouble to get him to his new home where he will be much loved for years to come.”

The commission is one of the first projects for Anvil & Ivy Limited, which was founded earlier this year to combine Sam and Nik's different creative skills.

The business specialises in bespoke garden sculptures, water features and outdoor furniture, with plans for an official launch in spring 2027.

Pictured: Nik Burns and Sam Drinkwater