A horse sculpture in the sea is set to become a permanent fixture after a Norfolk town drummed up £15,000 to buy it.

Eastern Daily Press: The Lifeboat Horse at low tide. Photo: TwitterThe Lifeboat Horse at low tide. Photo: Twitter (Image: Twitter)

Residents of Wells-next-the-Sea in Norfolk have raised the money to keep the Lifeboat Horse, by artist Rachael Long, after a campaign was started by the harbour commissioners.

Everyone from local businesses to small children handing over their pocket money, have been raising funds to keep the 10ft (3m) sculpture, made from steel bars and old whisky barrels, in their harbour.

The horse, positioned on the sand so it was fully visible at low tide and became submerged as the tide rolled in, was a focal point of the 2018 Wells Heritage Art Trail, but since October the sculpture has been in storage to protect it from the harsher winter weather, but locals are hopeful to see it back in its original position by spring.

Business Simply Coastal were among those that donated to the cause, and co-owner Annie Hogan said: 'I am over the moon that the community pulled together to keep the sculpture.

Eastern Daily Press: The real life horses that inspired artist Rachael Long to create the sculputre, Photo: TwitterThe real life horses that inspired artist Rachael Long to create the sculputre, Photo: Twitter (Image: Twitter)

'It is part of our history and heritage as the horses used to pull the lifeboats out to see and it is amazing to have it here. Tourists and locals love to look out and see it, we needed to keep it. I'm really pleased.'

Laura Humenruk lives in Wells-next-the-Sea and works in costal shop, Mine Jewellery who also contributed to the campaign.

Miss Humenruk said: 'The sculpture looks lovely and we wanted to keep it in the town, it's part of our history.'

Taking to Twitter, harbour master Robert Smith expressed his delight at rasing the money.

Mr Smith writes: 'Great news, Today we have successfully reached our target of £15K to buy the lifeboat horse sculpture on behalf of the community and visitors to the harbour. It will be sited back in the harbour from the spring.

'A big thank you to the local community, general public & local businesses.'

The Lifeboat Horse sculpture was made to pay homage to the real-life horses that would pull the lifeboats through the streets and across sands in all weathers.