Wallace and Gromit bronze sculpture unveiled in Preston

Creator of the popular animated series, Nick Park, attended the reveal of the sculpture alongside Mayor of Preston, Javed Iqbal, on Friday.

The sculpture, which is inspired by how the inventor and his loyal companion appeared in the 1993 short film The Wrong Trousers, has been placed outside of the city’s market.

It consists of Wallace standing on one leg with another sticking out while wearing the mechanical trousers and giving a thumbs-up.

Gromit meanwhile is sitting on the bench and reading a newspaper while looking up at Wallace.

It was designed by Park and animation company Aardman, the Bristol-based studio which produced the Wallace and Gromit movies and television series, in consultation with local sculptor Peter Hodgkinson.

The bench was produced at the Castle Fine Arts Foundry in Wales.

Mr Iqbal, said: “It is my pleasure to welcome Nick Park back to Preston to unveil this brilliant bench specially designed for the city, which I am sure will become a favourite spot to visit for residents and visitors for years to come.

“To celebrate this new Preston landmark, we have special guests coming to the city centre that will delight our younger visitors, as well as a range of family activities based in the Harris.

“I look forward to seeing the many photographs and selfies taken with the iconic duo over the coming days and weeks. This fun new addition to the city centre is a sight you don’t want to miss.”

After the sculpture was announced in June, Park said: “It is such a great honour for me, as a proud Prestonian, to see my characters Wallace and Gromit cast in bronze and given pride of place in my hometown.”

The bench is one of five pop-up projects delivered as part of a £1 million fund received from the Government’s national Towns Fund.

The pop ups aim to encourage visitors back into the city after the pandemic.