ART lovers have the chance to own a unique work to support a conservation charity – a full-size statue of a baby elephant!

The five-foot high statue, called Stop the Traffic, was created by Pickmere artist Christine Wilcox-Baker for the Elephant Parade.

The parade is a national tour of a 35-strong herd of colourful elephant statues which has been touring the UK to raise awareness of elephant conservation issues.

The parade is due to end next month at Bromley, and the statues are now available to bid on to to ‘buy now’ in an online auction, which runs until July 26.

The proceeds from the auction will be donated by tour sponsor intu Properties to The Asian Elephant Foundation, which helps distribute funds raised by the parade to support elephant conservation projects across Asia.

Christine is passionate about nature and elephants, and was chosen to lend her creative flair to the parade.

"I looked up a lot of information about the problems that elephants are faced with, their tusks being wanted for the ivory, their habitats being destroyed and unscrupulous hunters tracking them down," she said.

"Stop the Traffic is designed to raise awareness of just how seriously endangered they are. All of us must work together to stop unscrupulous hunters destroying elephants and their habitats."

Christine submitted four designs for the parade, and the one selected includes road signs and some she chose herself such as elephants fallling and not to overtake elephants.

"I wanted it to be specifically about the conservation of the elephants and all the awful things that are happening to them," she said.

Part of Christine’s inspiration for her statue came from a trip to Thailand, during which she had the chance to ride on an Asian elephant.

"I remember the amazing texture of the skin and the bristly hairs along its neck," she said.

"It struck me how such big creatures can be so gentle and graceful."

For your chance to own Stop the Traffic or any of the other statues featured in the auction visit the auction site at www.intuelephantparade.co.uk/elephants to place a bid, make a pledge or to express your support the Asian elephant.

Stop the Traffic is Lot 20 in the auction, which will close at midnight on July 26.

Intu owns and manages some of the UK’s leading shopping centres.