A LIFESIZE model of a sheep could soon be in place to welcome a town's growing number of visitors.

The parish council at Masham, near Ripon, has decided to approach an artist with a view to creating the model of a Masham-bred sheep, reminding visitors about the town's woolly past and present.

It would stand on a specially-built dry stone wall at an entrance to the market place.

Beneath the sheep would be a plaque explaining how thousands of sheep helped to bring wealth to the town in the middle ages.

Parish council chairman Councillor John Ellis confirmed there would be preliminary inquiries about the model from an artist and were hopeful the scheme would attract grants. "It will be very tastefully done, not the sort of thing you would find on the Golden Mile at Blackpool or down Las Vegas way," he said.

"We thought it would be a very appropriate way of welcoming people to Masham and reminding them of the links with sheep," said Coun Ellis.

Also included in the venture would be a revamped "honesty box" where people parking their cars make voluntary contributions.

Coun Ellis said: "We think it would be fitting to have the model in the market place."

The town's market place, huge in comparison to the size of the community, was created to house sheep driven down from the hills.

Since June contributions to the "honesty box" have reached almost £6,000