COUNTRYFILE presenter Adam Henson and his team have welcomed a new long-eared addition to the Cotswold Farm Park, near Bourton.

Jessie Leveret is one of 50 five-foot hare statues that have been dotted around Cirencester and the district as part of the Cirencester March Hare Trail.

Jessie was named and painted by the Sing and Sign group in the area, run by Nic Horne. The group combines music and signing to encourage early communication in babies.

The hare festival was set up in Cirencester town centre to raise money for Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust and allow members to build a new wild walkway around the River Churn.

"Many of the families who come to Sing and Sign music classes have been enjoying the trail so I thought it might be nice for us to get involved," said Nic.

The families who attend the class contributed towards sponsoring the hare, which takes its first name from the class mascot Jessie Cat, and its second name, Leveret, from the name of a baby hare.

"The babies have each painted their handprints on the sculpture. We had a lot of fun painting the hare," said Nic.

The group approached Cotswold Farm Park to see if Adam Henson and his team could look after the hare for a while.

Park manager Kate Lord said the whole team was delighted to be involved.

"Jessie’s a great temporary addition to the Park and it’s lovely for the families from Sing and Sign to be able to come out and see her while she’s based here. We’re hoping to give her a very nice home for the next couple of months."

The sculpture trail is expected to raise £50,000 to start developing the Churn Walkway in Cirencester after the hare models go under the hammer this September.