A WORK of art which is being designed and built in the Andover area is to grace a park in Romsey to remind generations to come of the sacrifices made in the First World War – by people and animals.

In three years during the conflict a massive remount camp at Pauncefoot Hill just outside Romsey prepared 120,000 horses and mules for war service.

The camp was largely demolished and then forgotten after the war, but then hardcore from the camp was laid to raise the level of land at the new War Memorial Park.

Now local artist Amy Goodman, from Project Workshop at Quarley, has been working with Romsey people to build a magnificent statue to commemorate the war and the role played by the horses and men who left Romsey for the front line in the trenches.

Amy Goodman has already produced a small bronze example of the work and has been working on the life-size clay model for the past six weeks. It is on show this weekend.

Councillor Dorothy Baverstock, the chairman of the group behind the warhorse, said: “Never in all my years of involvement in the community have I known a project get such amazing backing – people have been very supportive.”

There’s even been a special beer brewed to help raise funds.”

The artists at Project Workshops are throwing open their doors tomorrow and Sunday from 10am to 5pm.

The open weekends offer a rare chance to mingle with a group of some of the best artists and craftsmen in the area in the superb setting of Project Workshops – just off the A303.