Two new sculptures have been donated to a garden in Criccieth.

The sculptures, by Malcolm Roberts, have been placed with others in the Sculpture Garden at the Lion Hotel.

The garden grew out of a community event held last year by Criccieth Town Council, in partnership with the Criccieth Business Forum and other voluntary groups.

As part of the Criccieth Unique Streets project a day of activities, workshops and creative performances was held in the Lion Hotel garden, with the aim to increase footfall and provide a boost to Criccieth businesses.

The project received funding from Arloesi Gwynedd Wledig and other bodies, with match funding from the town council.

The Lion Hotel readily gave permission for the use of their garden.

The theme of the project – which won the One Voice Wales Best Tourism Initiative Award 2020 – was Robert Graves’ 1929 poem, ‘Welsh Incident’. Set in Criccieth, it is full of imagination and supernatural images which inspired artists.

There were art exhibitions and workshops, a magician and caricaturist and face painting for children.

The event attracted over 1,000 adults and children and the High Street was buzzing with activity.

An important part of the project was a competition to create a sculpture to be sited in a prominent position.

The winning piece was by Howard Bowcott of Penrhyndeudraeth.

Other sculptures gifted to the town were on display in the garden and Malcolm Lloyd Roberts, a Criccieth artist and carver, is the latest artist to contribute.

Cllr Robert Cadwalader, chair of Criccieth Town Council said: “The new pieces are of a maritime theme as, of course, Criccieth is a seaside town.

“The dolphins are an obvious choice as they are frequently seen in the bay and there is already a bronze statue of them on the Lower Maes.

“Seahorses are rarely seen at Criccieth but are occasionally found along the Welsh coast.

“Malcolm is an Art Deco fan and on a visit to Morecombe was impressed by the two huge stone seahorses above the entrance to the Midland Hotel created by Eric Gill in the 1930s and it is from these that he got his inspiration for his carving.”