THERE'S an angel at the bottom of Adrian Pearce's garden and he desperately needs to find it a new home.

It was back in 1972 that Mr Pearce, then a young art teacher in Middlesbrough, was commissioned to create a sculpture of an angel for the Mission to Seamen, at Wilton, Teesside.

The sculpture crafted in cold cast resin formed the focal point of the building and remained in place until the mission closed.

The 8ft work of art was then moved to another Mission to Seafarers, in Hull.

Still the sculpture had not found its final resting place, as, earlier this year, the building also closed.

"My sister lives in Hull and she saw the For Sale sign go up and telephoned me to let me know," said Mr Pearce who lives with his wife, Mary, in Esh village, near Durham.

Determined his flying angel would not be consigned to a dusty cupboard or abandoned, Mr Pearce contacted the mission's headquarters in London.

Told it was no longer needed, he was offered the sculpture back, and it has now been cleaned up and placed at the bottom of the couple's small garden.

"We really don't have enough space for it in the garden and would really like to find somewhere more appropriate for it to be housed."

Mr Pearce, 69, now retired, is offering his work free of charge to any organisation or suitable location.

Anyone wishing to provide the sculpture with a home is aszked to call reporter Marjorie McIntyre at The Northern Echo's Durham office, on 0191-3844600.

Published: 21/09/2004