A series of life-size bear sculptures will appear at Wild Place Project ahead of the return of real life bears to the area.

Twenty hand-painted bears will form a new trail around the South Gloucestershire wildlife park from April 6 until early September.

Visitors will be able to follow a route around the park, to discover the 6ft tall bears, each of which will be individually decorated by a team of artists.

Nigel Simpson, head of operations at Wild Place Project, said: “The bear sculpture trail is a fantastic collaboration between Wild Place Project and many of our partners and supporters.

“It promises to be an exciting discovery trail around the attraction as visitors will be able to tick off the bears as they find them, and take part in activities associated with the trail. It will be a wonderful prelude to the arrival of real bears later this year.”

He added: “There is a great deal in store for our visitors throughout 2019 as Wild Place Project continues to grow and develop, and we are immensely grateful to all of our visitors, members, partners and supporters for helping us get to where we are today.”

The sculpture trail comes ahead of the arrival of real European brown bears, as a new exhibit called Bear Wood opens in July.

All 20 bear sculptures have been sponsored by local organisations as part of a fundraising campaign for Bear Wood.

Wolves, lynx and wolverine will also return to the woodland for the first time in hundreds of years as part of the £5million project.

Visitors will be able to walk through the seven and a half acre exhibit on a raised walkway that will wind its way through the trees.