Elephants installed around Ipswich as charity art trail gets underway

  • Video report by ITV News Anglia's Hannah Pettifer

For the next 12 weeks, the streets of Ipswich will be home to 139 elephants.

A trail of statues of the children's favourite, Elmer the patchwork elephant, have been placed throughout the town in what's being called the 'Elmer trail'.

It's all in aid of local charity the St Elizabeth Hospice, which is hoping to raise £250,000 by auctioning the sculptures.

The elephants have been placed throughout Ipswich's town centre and waterfront, and it follows a similar trail organised by the hospice three years ago called 'Pigs Gone Wild.'

On that occasion, the event attracted 25,000 people to the town and raised £200,000 for the hospice.

The elephants are already proving to be a big hit. Credit: ITV News Anglia

Schools and youth organisations have decorated many of the smaller Elmers, while local artists have been commissioned to paint the larger sculptures.

"It's just such a fabulous way to bring colour and creativity to Ipswich and it's something that really brings the town to life," artist Laura Beardsell-Moore told ITV News Anglia.

"It's a real privilege to be part of and it shows the wealth of local talent there is."