THE legend of Bishop Auckland’s vicious boar has been turned into a cuddlier version to try and raise the profile of the town.

Bishop Auckland Town Team has come up with a new mascot, Bishop the boar, to promote the area during major events.

He is based on the famous legend of the boar of Bishop Auckland, who terrorised residents and prompted the Prince Bishop of the time to offer a rewards to the person who could kill the beast.

Though many tried, it was eventually a young man called Pollard who slayed the boar, a name still known in Bishop Auckland today though Pollards Inn, in Etherley Lane.

Mayor Lee Brownson said: “He’ll be at events from the vegetable show to the car show and Christmas to promote the town and have his photo taken with children.

“It will be interesting for them to learn about the myth of the boar and why we have Pollards in the town.

The mascot is due to make his first appearance at the food festival in April, when a “boar hunt” will take place for children, who will have to spot pictures of the animals in shops across town.