Artist Judy Boyt, who is more used to producing statues of horses, has created a huge bull, destined for a shopping mall in the north.

Ms Boyt, of Easterton Sands, near Devizes, who is world-renowned for her animal sculptures, undertook her first cattle creation for Morpeth in Northumbria.

She is pleased with the result. “He is eyeing you in a typical ‘don’t mess with me’ manner,” said 55-year-old Ms Boyt. “I chose an Aberdeen Angus because that is the breed most dealt with at the cattle market where the shopping centre has been built.

“I contacted local breeders and I was able to go to various farms to study the animals. I have had great fun trying to get close to these huge beasts.

“I usually like to have a hands-on approach to learning about the structure and shape of the animal’s muscles and bones, but the bulls were not always compliant.”

She was advised to stay in the car while studying a bull at a farm in Oxfordshire.

The work took 12 weeks and three quarters of a tonne of clay, supplied by South West Plasters Ltd in Bromham. This week a mould is being taken in plaster of paris. It will then go off to a specialist where a glass fibre statue will be made, light enough to sit on a pedestal over the mall entrance.

Ms Boyt said: “People will look up and see him glaring down at them.”

Her equestrian statues grace sites around the world, including the City of London and Ascot town centre. She also created the silver Mitsubishi Badminton Horse Trials trophy.