A SCULPTOR from Ulverston, who has spent the last 16 weeks creating a giant metallic swan, has finally seen his construction spread its wings in the capital.

Chris Brammall, 44, built the swan for a new children's medical centre at Great Ormond Street Hospital, and saw the bird skillfully lifted over the London skyline last Thursday by two tower cranes.

The towering steel sculpture, which was made by a team of 12, is the first artwork to be installed in the building and will be visible from patients' bedrooms when the building opens next year.

Mr Brammall said: "It was quite a complicating structure to put together and transporting it proved to be a logistical challenge but I've thoroughly enjoyed being a part of this project.

"It was great to see it being lifted over London and quite emotional at the same time. You put a lot of hard work into it and there was quite a lot of blacksmithing that I was personally involved in.

"It was a mix of sadness and relief when it was completed. it was strange to come back from London and see the workshop so empty because you live with it on a daily basis.

"But at the same time you are always keen to see it on site because you want people to interact with it, so it's not sad in that respect because it's always good to see it go for the right reasons."

The piece, entitled Taking Flight, is part of a bigger ensemble based around the theme of riverbanks and lakes.

The swan weighs three-quarters of a tonne and is dedicated to children and families affected by Syndromes Without A Name, commonly referred to as SWAN.

Mr Brammall is keen for as many as people possible to get to grips with his piece and explore the concepts related to the popular riverside animal.

He said: "The focus throughout this project has been about a piece of work for the children and their families to interact with and the way i have designed the piece is so that it has specific parts which can be enjoyed from different rooms and different angles.

"I would like to think that if you're a child staying in the hospital or you're visiting friends or family there, you will get the chance to engage with something beautiful and that it will provide a nice distraction."

Mr Brammall, who has been a sculptor since he left college at the age of 19, has seen his business grow from a small blacksmiths in the Lakes to having his work commissioned across the country and he has plenty of projects in the pipeline.

He added: "We have got some interesting projects coming up with some private commissions from big contractors, but we are still in the initial stages so I can't say anything about them yet."

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