Council blasted for installing £110k artwork in British nature reserve

Rex

Residents of a small British village have reacted angrily to a 40ft gold-plated artwork that has been installed at a local nature reserve.

The 40ft tower of 'metal leaves' that is meant to reflect a birch tree, called Gold Leaf: Buried Sunlight, has been placed at Pooley Country Park in Warwickshire as part of a regeneration project in the area.

But locals have responded angrily to the monument, calling it an 'eyesore' and a waste of public money.

Local Steve Jarvis told This is Tamworth: 'We residents call it 'Polesworth Folly'. It cost £110,000 from the public purse – what a total waste of money when this country can't afford it.'

Steve added that he wrote to Chancellor Gordon Brown, as well as local government ministers and MPs objecting to the plans, but had no response.

Warwickshire County Council told the paper it had no record of the petition.

Councillor Tilly May defended the piece, calling the artwork 'different and thought-provoking', and said:

'We want to draw visitors' attention from the motorway and, of course, to encourage people when they get to the park to explore the pools and the nature reserve.'