A MAGNIFICENT golden cockerel weather vane has been lifted into place on top of a Forest church spire – and he has ben named Frankie.

The addition of Frankie is the latest stage in the refurbishment of the tower at Westbury Church.

The new weather vane was sponsored by parishoner Bob Child and made by Drybrook-based blacksmith and artist Clare McHugh, who is better known as Miss Fire.

Thanks to an anonymous benefactor, Frankie has now been gold-plated.

Clare said: “When I left it in December it was painted gold but now it has a proper gold finish.

“It weighs about 20kg (44lbs) – the original sheet of copper I started with was two metres by a metre and it was built in sections.”

Mr Child said the cockerel was “magnificent.”

He said: “It couldn’t be better.

“I got involved because the old one broke in half, the head came off and it worked in reverse for a while because there was only the tail.

“Clare is an incredibly good craftswoman.

“I call him Frankie because he has blue eyes like Sinatra.”

Frankie was lifted to the top of the tower on Monday morning and contractors working on the tower worked over the weekend to ensure all the wooden shingles on the tower were in place.

Churchwarden, Cllr Simon Phelps said it would look “striking” in the summer sun.

He said: “I’d like to thank Bob for kindly sponsoring the fabrication of this new weather cock for us and the anonymous benefactor who has generously paid for it to be gold-plated which will make it much longer lasting than it would otherwise have done.

“We also have to thank various grant giving bodies: Historic England, Heritage Lottery Fund, the Department of Culture, Media and Sport, the National Churches Trust, Gloucestershire Environmental Trust, Gloucestershire Historic Churches Trust, Garfield Weston and All Churches Trust for donating funds towards re-fabricating and re-shingling the spire.

“We also have many private donors who have been extremely generous.

“I must thank (contractors) Splitlath for their patience and resilience.

“It has been a rather gruelling task.

“The contractors worked this weekend to ensure the shingles were complete to the apex of the spire.”

Before Frankie was lifted into place, Vicar of Westbury Rev Steve Taylor said a short prayer.