A FEROCIOUS wild boar which terrorised part of County Durham in the Middle Ages will be featured in the grounds of a North-East heritage attraction.

A life-size sculpture will take up residence in the deer park in Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland, on Monday, July 21 to celebrate the start of the summer holidays.

It has been specially commissioned by the Auckland Castle Trust in honour of the medieval fortress's furry mascot, Bosley Boar.

The boar made from galvanised wire is the work of celebrated North Yorkshire-based sculptor Emma Stothard.

Her willow and wire creations have many well-known admirers, including the Prince of Wales, for whom she made a large scale figure of his beloved Jack Russell dog Tigga.

Auckland Castle’s boar will have a permanent home in the outer park and is the inspiration for a new family-friendly outdoor trail being launched in time for the summer.

The unveiling of the sculpture is also the motivation for a host of boar themed children’s activities taking place at the castle.

Grace English, Auckland Castle’s education and outreach officer, said: “We are thrilled that Auckland Castle will now be home to one of Emma’s amazing sculptures.

“It’s a fitting and very expressive and fun way to celebrate a great Bishop Auckland legend and immortalise our own Bosley Boar.

“Because it’s made of brushed galvanised wire children will be able to climb over and sit on the sculpture, and we hope it will become a much loved addition to our beautiful park and encourage visitors to get out and explore the area.

She added: “We are deliberately not telling visitors exactly where the boar sculpture is other than in a glade in the outer Deer Park as we hope they will be inspired to hunt him out.

“But in honour of the sculpture’s unveiling, Bosley Boar and the legend of Pollard’s Brawn are being reflected in our summer holiday children’s events and drop-in activities, which will take us right through the six week break.”

Each day has been given a theme. Messy Mondays will feature drop-in craft activities such as boar biscuit decorating and shield and crown making.

Wednesday’s will be Bosley’s Big Draw with printmaking and painting, Thursdays Hidden Treasures led by the castle’s curatorial team, Fridays Bosley’s Big Splash with water-based goings-on and Sundays’ story-telling and games with Captain Raggy Beard.

There will also be family-friendly guided tours in the castle every Wednesday and Sunday at 1pm from July 23 as well as an indoor boar hunt searching for Bosley’s lost friends.

For more details about what is happening at the Auckland Castle visit aucklandcastle.org or call 01388-743750.