STABLE HOME FOR SCULPTURE

Cheltenham's Beechwood Shopping Centre has become the ‘stable’ for one of the horse sculptures put up around the town to celebrate the town's links with racing.

The horse, designed by mosaic craftswoman Carrie Reichardt and artist Nick Reynolds, was vandalised in its original home in the Long Gardens but is now taking pride of place in Beechwood for its own safety.

It’s one of 10 statues which form a trail from Montpellier through the town centre to Cheltenham Racecourse to mark Cheltenham National Hunt Festival’s 100th anniversary.

Beechwood’s new addition was sponsored by John Baker the 81-year-old father of Cheltenham Town Football Club chairman Paul Baker.  He was so upset his horse was vandalised he said offered a £500 charitable donation if anyone came forward with information. He increased that to £1,000 after hearing about the damage to another horse around the town.

Beechwood centre manager Owen Acland said: “It’s a shame that art exhibits like this have been vandalised around the town considering all the work that’s gone in to creating them. But we were more than happy to help out when the art gallery contacted us because now it will be in full view of all the shoppers who come into Beechwood.”

Mr Baker thought the horse would be safe in its new location. “The centre is locked at night and when it’s open there will be a lot of people around,” he said.

Sophie Wilson, of Cheltenham Art Gallery and Museum, who came up with the idea for the trail, said: “It is quite upsetting to have to move this horse indoors.