THERE'S just one more week to enjoy Worcester's giraffes before the Worcester Stands Tall art trail comes to an end.

The colourfully painted beasts have been delighting residents and shoppers for ten weeks but will be taken down on Sunday.

The Worcester Stands Tall app has recorded more than 171,000 visits to individual giraffes, while more than 1,800 selfies have been uploaded to the app’s gallery.

Sara Matthews, project manager for Worcester Stands Tall, said: “The summer has gone by in a flash and I can’t believe it’s nearly time for the trail to end.

“It has been an incredible 10 weeks filled with smiles, selfies and stories of exploring the trail – it has been a privilege to share in the joy of those visiting the giraffes.

“We know from our app that thousands of people have been to visit the trail.

"In the coming weeks we will work with the Worcester Business Improvement District to assess the value it has brought to the city.

“On behalf of everyone at St Richard’s Hospice, I would like to thank those who have helped make the trail a success. We hope to raise a fantastic amount for the hospice’s Build 2020 Appeal at auction – enabling it to care for more patients and families in the future.”

The sculptures are scattered around various places in Worcester forming a six mile long trail.

There are 30, 8ft tall giraffes and 27 smaller ‘calves.’

The large giraffes will be removed on Sunday and will be placed in storage, where they will have final touch-ups in preparation for the auction taking place on October 11.

A farewell event is taking place on October 4 which will give everyone the chance to see the giraffes for one final time at Worcester Cathedral.

The rose-gold calf sculpture displayed outside the cathedral, Lily the Pink, will also be auctioned – while the remaining calves will be returned to the schools and groups which decorated them.

The giraffe sculptures have been well-received by the public, as well as tourists, which many saying they were a source of joy.

When interviewed about the trail a few weeks ago, Artist Amrit Singh said that the giraffes, for some, have represented hope.

He said: “It’s not just raising money for a good cause, it’s the community response.

"It brings the community together and it is quite a special thing.”