Fire crews were called to a grass blaze next to the iconic Willow Man sculpture beside the M5 motorway on Sunday (August 21st).
Police officers and firefighters were sent to the incident early on Sunday morning, as pictured here.
A Police spokesperson said: “Police assisted Devon and Somerset Fire Rescue at a fire next to the Willow Man on the Kingsdown Estate.”
“Luckily they were able to stop the fire from getting out of hand, but this is a plea to the public to be safe around any fire hazards and to report a fire as soon as possible.”
The 40ft (12m) tall man near Bridgwater was made by artist Serena de la Hey out of locally-grown willow over 20 years ago.
The giant sculpture, dubbed the “Angel of the South”, was commissioned by South West Arts in 2000.
Originally meant to last just three years, the figure has been repeatedly repaired. The local council has spent about £100,000 on its upkeep but said in 2020 it could no longer afford to maintain it.
