A HEREFORDSHIRE blacksmith has helped to produce a tribute to Australian residents who died in the recent bush fires.

Bromley O’Hare’s sculptures of gum tree leaves and nuts will form part of the Tree Project, a memorial to be placed in a Victoria township to mark those who died in February’s disaster.

Working from his forge at Weston, near Pembridge, Bromley answered a request from the Australian Blacksmiths Association (Victoria), put out to their peers all over the world.

“I thought I would do my bit,” said the 58-year-old, a member of the British Artist Blacksmiths Association.

“We cannot comprehend what these people have been through in those fires and this is a way of remembering those lost and providing a lasting memorial for the future.”

The work took Bromley about two days to complete and has now been sent to Australia.

The Tree Project is expected to be set up from July and has attracted work from all over the world.

Bromley has been a blacksmith for about 17 years, winning numerous awards. His work has also appeared on the hit TV series Grand Designs.