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Cymru | Wales
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200 foot Dragon statue on the border
We've heard of keeping up with the Joneses but maybe the Welsh are taking it just a touch too far.
Perched on top of a 130ft tower, this ferocious-looking dragon glares out menacingly towards England across the Welsh border.
The gigantic sculpture, which would reach higher than Nelson's Column - which is 169ft, is set to become the tallest public artwork ever built in the UK.
Billed as Wales' answer to the Angel Of The North or the Statue Of Liberty, it aims to become a focus for national pride.
Or, as England already boasts the Angel Of The North and the prospect of a 164ft horse in Kent, dubbed the Angel Of The South, it could be interpreted as a touch of national one-upmanship. You've got two? Well, we'll we'd better have one then.
The dragon itself would be 75ft tall and would have a wingspan of more than 150ft - bigger than a Boeing 737.
Called 'Waking the Dragon', the sculpture would be cast in bronze and mounted on top of the huge glass and steel tower.
Visitors would enter at the base of the tower where there would be interactive displays and an opportunity to learn about Welsh history and culture.
Lifts and a helical staircase would then take visitors to the top of the tower where they would have panoramic views across the borders into England.
Next to the tower would be a state-of-the-art cultural centre along with a 100 seat cafe/bar and 125 seat restaurant and a museum.
The £6million project is the brainchild of Simon Wingett, 54, who aims to build the ambitious sculpture without using any taxpayers' money.
Mr Wingett, an art dealer, says he will raise all the money needed to build the dragon tower through commercial sponsorship.
He will raise extra revenue by charging people £2,000 for a personal dedication on each of the steps inside the structure.
The development would sit within a landscape of formal and informal pathways planted with oak trees.
The area immediately around the building would depict the four branches of ancient Welsh folklore tale, the Mabinogion.
Mr Wingett has already started the planning application process for the development near Chirk, North Wales, which he believes could create up to 50 jobs.
The site is owned by Wrexham Council and is also one of the three currently under consideration as a new traveller and gypsy park.
Mr Wingett, who has his home and a gallery at Erbistock, said producing the blueprint for the Waking The Dragon tower marked the culmination of a five-year ambition.
His aim is to commemorate his father, well-known local businessman Frank Wingett, who died from throat cancer in 1988.
Mr Wingett says he hopes the project will also raise £1million a year for the Frank Wingett Cancer Appeal.
Unveiling the plans today - St David's Day - he said: 'One could draw parallels with the tower and the Statue of Liberty. The whole place will be mythology brought to life and the theme is awakening the dragon in the fight against cancer.
'We want people seeing the dragon, which will be visible for miles around, to get the impression that it has either just landed or is about to take off.'He added: 'We have already started the planning process and, if we are successful, the intention is to begin building in August to mark the 150th anniversary of the National Eisteddfod coming to Wrexham.
'There is a 12-month building period, so the tower could be open by August or September of the following year.'
Aled Roberts, leader of Wrexham Council, said: 'It will not only celebrate our unique heritage and culture, it will also boost the local economy with the creation of local jobs and draw in a huge number of tourists who will spend their money locally.
'The dragon's location will provide unrivalled views across Wrexham and the surrounding borderlands and I have no doubt we will receive visitors not only from Wales but from the whole of the UK, who will want to see this amazing dragon for themselves.'
The tallest sculpture in the world is the 502ft Spring Temple Buddha in Henan, China.
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