I READ with astonishment the article about the curlew sculpture which is suggested to go on the new roundabout at the end of the Bedale by pass (D&S Times, Feb 3).

A year ago, I was asked by some local businessmen to come up with several designs for a sculpture with the theme of “gateway to the dales”. The budget was not fixed, but was in the £12,000 region which was doable.

I came up with some ideas, but in the meantime the project had been taken out of their hands and the district council was now on the case.

The council decided it must be put out to competition, fair enough, but that never interests me, so I forgot all about it.

Then I saw the article.

I have a couple of questions: first what has a curlew got to do with Bedale? The curlew lives on estuaries in winter and the moors in summer, neither of which we have around Bedale.

Secondly, there is the fantastic sum of £50,000 for the curlew. WOW! I think that the council ought to look at this again not just because of the money but mostly because of the design. I will let you into a dirty little secret: a lot of sculptors have sculptures in stock and ready to go, I’m also wondering what would happen when the first vehicle mounts the roundabout and slams into the 20ft tall curlew with its pair of three inch diameter legs!

To sum up, I believe that a curlew is inappropriate for the Bedale roundabout and that the cost of £50,000 is far too much.

Will Willson, Bedale