If you go down to Bearwood today... Artwork gives paws for thought

For dozens of Bearwood Bears have been dotted outside shops, in gardens and at schools and families are being encouraged to enjoy a day out walking from one grizzly to the next.

The one metre tall wooden sculptures have been designed and decorated by 30 community groups based in and around the town.

A map of the accessible route of just under two kilometres is available online.

It begins at Lightwoods Park, carries on onto the High Street, along Abbey Road before finally heading – quite fittingly – through Warley Woods.

Project champion Anya Sanchez said she was delighted with the multi-coloured bears.

She said: "There are quite a few with children's handprints on and the majority are totally and utterly original.

"Some of them really are works of art and people have been coming up to me asking if they can buy them after.

"I would not want to pick out my favourites but there is a fantastic one by the art group which meets at the Dorothy Parks Centre where they have stuck their work all over it.

"There is another done by the Mad Hatters tea shop, of a Mad Hatters theme, which is beautiful and amusing.

"The best hidden one has to be the one by the running group. You will need eagle eyes to spot that."

Community group We Are Bearwood received money from the Big Lottery Fund to get the scheme off the ground.

Each sculpture is accompanied by a historical fact about Bearwood written on a pendant and a quiz is available online for those taking part.

In addition the group has made smaller, cardboard versions of the bears called cubs so people can decorate and make their own bear and display it in their garden or window.

Mrs Sanchez, added: "It warms my heart when I saw them out today.

"When you think up a project like this in your bedroom you don't know how it will turn out. People have put in so much effort and thought. It has been a really touching reaction." Schools that have taken part include Bearwood Primary, Abbey Junior, St Gregory's Catholic Primary and Uplands Manor Primary. The trail was unveiled on Sunday and will be available until May 31. We Are Bearwood has received £5,800 to create the bear trail, which will include several greeting visitors to Warley Woods.

The Bearwood bears are hot on the heels on Liverpool's superlambananas, London's eye-catching elephants and the giant wolf sculptures soon set to be prowling the streets of Wolverhampton.

Forty giant wolf sculptures would be displayed through Wolverhampton city centre in a scheme predicted to bring in £7 million and 100,000 tourists. Planned spots include the university, art gallery, Molineux and Dudley Street.