SUPPORTERS of the planned Leominster sheep statue got in a spin to raise money for it.

The Leominster Spinners held a sponsored spin at the town’s library to raise funds for the ryeland sheep statue that will be located near the fire station to celebrate the town’s agricultural heritage.

The statue, organised by Leominster In Bloom, is expected to be unveiled during Leominster Festival which runs from June 1-9.

The ryeland sheep originates from Leominster and the statue will be made by artist blacksmiths Claudia Petley and Paul Shepherd from Kimbolton.

The breed has quite a history as ryeland wool is stuffed into the woolsack at the House of Lords. And Queen Elizabeth I was so taken with the Lemster wool stockings she was given that from that moment onwards she insisted on having ryeland wool only.