A COW sculpture is heading for new grazing land at the Great Western Hospital in Swindon.

The rust-coloured bovine, created by artist Tom Gleeson, has been with Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust since 1987 when it was given a home in a quadrangle of grass at Princess Margaret Hospital.

With the closure of PMH at the end of last year, the cow was removed and has been in storage at the Swindon Contractors' Barnfield Road headquarters.

Artist David Morse, from Wroughton, has been charged with the task of weather-proofing the sculpture, made of sheet steel, before it is moved to the GWH.

He said: "I have been covering the structure with a wax coating to protect it from rust damage. There is a bit of rust there, but it will stop it from getting any worse.

"For me it is just a job of work. It has taken about a day to coat the sculpture and I think it is now ready to move.

David has been working with scrap steel and copper to sculpt fantasy pieces resembling dragons and winged horses for about 10 years, having previously worked mainly in oil paint.

Hospital spokeswoman Emma Cane explained that the sculpture will be given pride of place grazing on grass next to the pond at the front of the new GWH building.

She said: "We have been asked about the cow by a lot of people who remember the sculpture from Princess Margaret Hospital.

"I am pleased to say that it will be put in its new home next month."

The cow is not the only sculpture by Tom Gleeson in Swindon.

An iron gorilla once stood outside the Wyvern Theatre, but was transferred to Queen's Park after being attacked by vandals.