Ghost sculptures of WW1 soldiers erected in cemetery Published duration 9 November 2018 Related Topics World War One

image caption The life-size figures have been made out of chicken wire

"Ghostlike" sculptures of soldiers who died in World War One have been erected next to their graves in a village cemetery.

The life-size figures of 11 men have been placed in Slimbridge churchyard in Gloucestershire.

Sculptor Jackie Lantelli created them out of chicken wire to mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the war.

Ms Lantelli said she had always been "passionate about remembering on Remembrance Day".

image copyright Robert Eveleigh/Slimbridge Local History Society image caption The sculptures have been placed by the graves of the 11 men who died in WW1

"It's 100 years and I thought we ought to do something special," she said.

"I make wire sculptures of fairies, and I had the idea that I could make some wire soldiers that look ghostlike with a very thin layer of chicken wire."

She said the sculptures represent the 11 fallen soldiers from the village and have been placed at the foot of the men's graves.

image copyright Robert Eveleigh/Slimbridge Local History Society image caption The exhibition will be on display until Monday

She added the display had caused people who have seen them to get "very emotional".

"It's not just a name on a grave any more. You've got an actual physical thing, and it makes you think this was actually a person."

The sculptures will be on public display at St John the Evangelist Church in Slimbridge from Saturday morning until Monday evening.

image copyright Robert Eveleigh/Slimbridge Local History Society image caption The soldiers are made of chicken wire which makes them look "ghostlike"