A spectacular dragon carved by local chainsaw artist Danny Thomas has been installed in Hay-on-Wye.

The dragon has been placed in a prominent position, in an area that was a bare patch of grass at the top of the main car park, on Oxford Road, next to the craft centre.

Hay Town Council announced the news of the art installation and said it provides a fine example of Hay Town Council’s continued commitment to making Hay a vibrant town with a rich cultural heritage.

This project came about after months of planning and consultation with Danny, who carved a piece of Wellingtonia from a tree that fell across a river in a West Wales storm about 10 years ago. It took around 20 hours to carve and is mounted on a large piece of oak.

A spokesperson for the town council said: “Y Ddraig Goch, The Red Dragon, has been a symbol of Wales for centuries, here at the ‘Gateway to Wales’ it provides a symbol of strength and resilience, counter to the current national and international unrest we have all seen recently.

“Being able to showcase local talent, such as Danny, is one of the joys of being a councillor. When he offered the dragon to the town we just had to say yes and find a suitable location to display such a great asset to the town.”

Danny Thomas was born and brought up in Hay and was taught to carve by his late father, Harry. He is a chainsaw carver with a worldwide reputation, having won many national and international carving competitions, while still living locally.

Speaking about the dragon installation, Danny said: “Having lived in Hay all my life I’ve always wanted to give something back to the town. One day I’d love Hay to be as well known for art as it is for books and literature.

“When the council offered me the area at the top of the car park it just felt the right place for the dragon. I’m sure it will give pleasure to all that walk past and also provides a cool viewpoint for a selfie.”