A blacksmith has said he is “thrilled” to be given the chance to design a new piece of public art which will be at one of the gateways into Bury St Edmunds.

Nigel Kaines, who has run Stowlangtoft-based Designs on Metal for 30 years, has come up with a design for a sculpture at the Mount Road/Lady Miriam Way roundabout at the edge of the Moreton Hall estate.

He said working on public pieces was particularly rewarding.

“Myself and Kevin Baldwin [who is also working in the project] are thrilled to be part of it,” he said.

The brief was to include a B17 Flying Fortress plane as these heavy bombers were based nearby at Rougham Airfield during the Second World War. Mr Kaines, whose work in Bury includes the crown at the Southgate Green roundabout, has come up with a replica of the iconic tail fin of the plane, while incorporating a dove of peace. He said he thought of what people were fighting for as inspirition for his design.

“I thought, surely, what was in the hearts of everyone fighting in the Second World War was that there would be peace and prosperity for their own families and the future of the country, and freedom.”

The sculpture will be made from galvanised steel, but not all of it will be made in-house at the Stowlangtoft forge due to its size. The piece will be about 5.5m tall and 10m long.

Bury-based Morrish and Partners engineers are working to ensure the sculpture is structurally sound. The scheme is a joint project between Bury St Edmunds Town Council and Bury in Bloom.

To donate, contact Bury in Bloom co-ordinator Melanie Lesser on 01284 766955.