The handsome bull was donated by Carol Holland of Taree, as her house is as full with her animal creations as Noah’s Ark was with live animals.

Carol has been creating creatures large and small for only a couple of years. 

“I always wanted my own pony and I realised the only way I was going to get one was to make one myself,” she says.

One pony quickly turned into a herd of six, and was followed by goats, highland cattle, a musk ox, a golden tarkin (a gnu-goat from the Himalayas), some Pekinese dogs, a poodle, an Afghan hound, some monkeys, a sloth, and much more to create the menagerie.

“They’re like my pets,” Carol says.

Carol builds the animal frames from planks of timber, with tomato stakes for legs. The body of the animal is then built up with papier mâché and Styrofoam, and their pelts are made from stashes of fur Carol has amassed from sales at Spotlight.

However, Carol has no room left in her house and says she doesn’t have the stamina to continue her hobby.

As well as the donation to the organisers of the Scottish Festival, she has donated some goats to the Taree Craft Centre, and an Afghan hound and a Bedlington terrier to the RSPCA for the Million Paws Walk held in Taree recently. She still has her herd of ponies.

The highland beastie’s name will be revealed at the Festival on the Saturday. There will be a small prize for the person who guesses his name, although organisers say that it is unlikely anyone will!

Money raised from the competition will go back into the coffers for next year's Bonnie Wingham Scottish Festival.