Artist's 'mud maiden' cheers up old colliery site

A clay and soil figure of a "mud maiden" has proved a popular addition to a woodland on the site of a former colliery.

Artist Simon Delount designed the flower-covered form after Doncaster Council won a Sport England grant to improve the Pitwood at Edlington.

The woodland and footpaths were created after the closure of Yorkshire Main Colliery on land once used for the slag heaps.

The funding was intended to improve physical activity in the area by making it more appealing to visitors.

The sculpture, named Flora, has been installed on a raised bed in a wildflower meadow.

Delount said he wanted to create something that contrasted with the dark and dirty environment of the coal industry.

"We have loads of people who come from surrounding areas and say they didn't know this place was here", he said.

The Pitwood improvement works were undertaken as part of the Doncaster Future Parks programme and the Get Doncaster Moving health initiative.

Zoe Keeton said she was a regular user of the area, and enjoyed taking her cocker spaniel, Pebbles, for walks.

"I think she's absolutely beautiful. It looks the part as well doesn't it, the shape of her and everything looks really good."

Beneath Flora's clay and soil outer is a skeleton weave of willow and hazel.

Volunteers at the site have been planting and providing maintenance.

Joan Robertson, a recent recruit to the Friends group, said: "It's brilliant, especially when the sun is out. It gets you out of the house, it gives you a sense of camaraderie being with like-minded people who enjoy this sort of thing."

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