They are a well known sight and over the years have been a meeting point for thousands of shoppers navigating their way around the Merry Hill Centre.

But this Christmas customers will have to find a new spot to rendezvous with friends or family after it was announced the famous flying anvils sculpture is on the move.

The landmark statue has been located near the Ernest Jones jewellery shop for a number of years but have recently vanished from view prompting some confusion among visitors.

However bosses say they have decided to move the structure outdoors at the Brierley Hill Centre and are awaiting planning permission for the switch in location to go ahead.

Shopper Dennis Hollis from Wordsley said: “It was very sudden, one day they were there, the next day they were gone.”

The anvils were installed on the lower ground floor of the shopping centre around eight years ago after being built by Stourbridge sculptor Paul Margetts.

He said today he did “especially” like the sculpture as his family shopped at the centre and often arranged to meet at the site.

He added: “I wish them all the best with the move.”

The site of the shopping centre used to be the sprawling Round Oak Steelworks and Mr Margetts said the sculpture marked the passing of the metal trade from the Black Country to other places across the world.

He said the whole process from design to finishing the sculpture took about a year.

Westfield spokeswoman Kelly Reed said plans were in the pipeline to mark the move next year. She added: “We wish to move our iconic statue to a more prominent location which will be seen by all visitors entering the centre from Pedmore Road.

“We are currently awaiting the planning consent to install the flying anvil’s sculpture into a new permanent near Debenhams.

“The anvils should be re-located by Spring 2012 and will we hold a community event to celebrate them in their new space.”

She added the concierge team had been briefed on the move.