A sculpture made from old garden tools is set to be installed on the empty plinth at North Lodge Park in Cromer.

For the last 18 months volunteers from the Friends of North Lodge Park have been restoring the rose garden in the park, working around the empty plinth that once supported a sun dial.

North Walsham sculptor Bob Catchpole heard that a replacement was needed, and he has now donated one.

He said: 'I have worked with old garden tools for many years, giving them a new role and purpose. When I heard about the work of the volunteers in the park I thought my use of recycled tools to produce art really fitted in with their aspirations and I wanted to contribute to the restoration.'

Barry Meadows, the secretary of Friends of North Lodge Park, said: 'Thanks to Bob's work you may never look at your garden forks and spades in quite the same way again, but that's the whole point.

'We're really interested in bringing works of art to the park and Bob's really generous offer gives us a flying start.

'If we get a positive response from the public we'll look for other ways to work with North Norfolk District Council to bring more art to the park.'

As part of the licence for the community café in the park, the Friends agreed to restore the rose garden, and maintain the gardens.

The Friends include volunteers working in the gardens and the café. Over the winter, the pergolas in the rose garden were strengthened, overhanging trees were pruned, the climbing roses were all replaced along with other plants, and dropped kerbs were installed to make it easier to access the gardens.

Money raised in the café will be put towards other park projects, including a new children's play area.

NNDC chairman John Lee, who will unveil the sculpture at midday on Tuesday, April 4, said: 'It's amazing what the volunteers have achieved in the gardens.'

Mr Catchpole attended both Norwich School and Norwich Art School, and was head of sculpture at Eton College, Windsor for almost 30 years. He established his first studio in North Walsham in 1985 and has lived there ever since.

Do you have any unusual objects in your garden? Email: david.bale2@archant.co.uk