The Lakeland Ram carved in a project headed by sculptor Shawn Williamson and unveiled by the Prince of Wales (see NSS April issue) has now been put in position next to the A66/A5086 roundabout and blessed by the Rev Michael Braithwaite.

The Prince\'s security team thought the exposed site by the roundabout, overlooked from all sides by hills, was too exposed for the unveiling, so the ceremony had to be performed inside, the Ram being moved afterwards.

The project was funded by Rural Regeneration Cumbria as a flagship for "arts in the community, for the community, with the community" and drew support from local businesses including stone quarriers Block Stone and Kirkstone and masonry company Gordon Greaves (Slate).

The Ram was carved as part of an arts project in West Cumbria involving the West Cumbria Achievement Zone and Rathbone Training. Its production was in itself a training programme for young Cumbrians who helped carry out the work under the direction of Shawn Williamson.

Shawn said: "This has been about people working together to create a major statement that will stand the test of time. Ownership belongs to the community as a whole, not just one artist."

One of the trainees involved in the project, Shaun McCallum, commented: "I never thought I\'d be able to do anything like this. If you didn\'t know you were artistic, a project like this could bring it out of you."