RESIDENTS have told of their delight and amusement at seeing a number of giant topiary pigs trundling along the roads of Suffolk.

The pigs in question – which together form a family – were all raised up onto the back of a lorry bound for an event hosted in London by Prince Charles.

The giant green pigs, which represent money boxes, were commissioned specially for the event.

Made by Steve Manning, who runs Topiary Art Designs in Pakenham, the giant piggy banks, which each feature a gold coin above a slot, have taken months to create.

He said they were designed as part of a sustainable living event being held in London by the Prince.

He told how his giant pigs had taken a special route around London which involved passing Buckingham Palace during the changing of the guard.

“Our work seems to be getting out there,” said Mr Manning.

Pakenham resident Sandy Jackson captured the start of the pigs’ journey on her camera.

She said the pigs “were an amazing sight to behold” and told how, because the owners of Topiary Art Designs were friends and neighbours, she had “watched these pigs grow and develop over the last couple of months”.

Mrs Jackson said: “There is an awful lot of skill, painstaking work and technique involved in creating these beautiful giant creatures.

“Steve is a very talented artist, a perfectionist and is involved from start to finish in their creation.

“A couple of years ago they created several life-size willow-weave elephants which caused quite a stir in the village and people would come for miles around to see them and photograph them.

“And when they eventually went off it was quite emotional watching them hoisted up on a crane and strapped to the low-loader and made their way through our little country road and eventually to Hyde Park and I felt the same emotions watching the pigs.

“They must have turned a few heads as they made their way along the busy roads heading up to Clarence House.”

The pigs have taken up their positions in gardens owned by the Prince of Wales as part of “A Garden Party with a Difference”.

The heir to the throne is opening up his own gardens at Clarence House, together with his neighbours’ gardens at Lancaster House and Marlborough House this week, as part of a 12-day event aimed at showing the public how a more sustainable lifestyle can be achieved.

It will include talks by Alan Titchmarsh, music from Jools Holland, debate with Jonathan Dimbleby, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Clive Anderson and comedy with Marcus Brigstocke and Hugh Dennis.