AN 11th-hour bid has been launched to save a 3ft kingfisher which has been delighting the people of Royal Wootton Bassett all summer.

The stunning sculpture has been a highlight at Jubilee Lake for months. It is part of the Kingfisher Trail, an arts trail of 22 sculptures which have been decorated by local artists for public display in and around the Cotswolds.

People were invited to follow the trail this summer, encouraged to get out into nature and enjoy the outstanding natural beauty of the area.

The trail was designed to bring businesses, arts and local communities together and at the now-impending end of the project the sculptures will be auctioned to art lovers to raise funds for charities conducting vital conservation work.

But Bassett doesn’t want to lose its kingfisher. The town loves it so much, it wants to buy it instead.

But there's a slight problem – the auction price for the Bassett kingfisher is £3,000 and although the town has been frantically raising funds and getting sponsorship, it is still £1,250 short.

And it has only got until the day of the auction on Thursday to find the rest of the money.

The Bassett kingfisher was created by Stroud sculptor Hannah Dyson.

She said: “I think of the kingfisher as a truly magical creature.

"There is a real feeling of excitement and privilege when you see their vibrant little forms speed over the water’s surface.

“I wanted to create a character that would feed into my love of folk and fairy tales. The name ‘kingfisher’ already denotes royalty, but I wanted to turn my version into a mythical folk beast, a lord of the waterways adored by all the insects and fairy creatures, reigning supreme in his watery world.”

And Bassett wants Hannah’s sculpture to lord it over its waterway.

“We have had such positive feedback from the kingfisher being at the lake and we would be sad to see the sculpture go,” said Rachel Deegan, administrative services officer at Royal Wootton Bassett Town Council.

“All of the kingfishers will be auctioned on October 21, but we now have the chance to keep our kingfisher – unfortunately do not have the funds to do so.

“Would you like to sponsor our kingfisher to keep it at Jubilee Lake? In return we would add a plaque at the front of the kingfisher advertising that you had sponsored him.

“It would be great the save the kingfisher and keep it where all kingfishers belong – by the water!”

To help save the Bassett kingfisher, emailrachel@royalwoottonbassett.gov.uk