PLANS are galloping ahead for a new public art event which aims to get people out and about and enjoying the borough’s lesser-known sights and delights.

Inspired by King Bladud’s Pigs sculpture trail staged in Bath 2008 - the Brierley Hill Arts and Culture Development Group and Dudley Performing Arts have teamed up to launch a similar Pony Trail in and around Brierley Hill this summer.

The initiative, which will be a first for the Dudley area, will see striking statues of fibreglass ponies designed and sited around the borough - to create a walking trail which visitors and residents can follow at their leisure.

Project co-ordinator Claire Starmer, Dudley Performing Arts development officer, said: “This will be a huge event for Brierley Hill and will encourage visitors to take a fresh look at the area, encompassing usual and unusual venues and locations - inspiring exploration.”

Schools and colleges across the borough have been invited to design and decorate their own pony with help from a professional artist.

The sculptures will then be placed at various locations around the borough in May/June - linking a variety of different walking routes for people of all abilities.

Maps will then be produced to highlight the different trails and places of interest en route.

The project, funded by an Arts Council grant, aims to pave the way for regeneration and enterprise in the area by getting people engaged in cultural and creative activities - which it is hoped will inspire future initiatives.

Tim Sunter, chairman of Brierley Hill Town Centre Partnership, said: “It’s an exciting scheme and I’m very much behind it.”

At the end of the summer, the ponies will be auctioned off and money raised will go towards future regeneration projects in the area.

To find out more check out www.brierleyhill.org, email claire.starmer@dudley.gov.uk or call 01384 813905.