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'Angel of Yaxley' social media speculation solved

John Devine
BBC News, Peterborough
Reporting fromYaxley
John Devine/BBC A carved wooden angel made from the stump of a tree. The angel has an orange coloured tan caused by preserving oil. Around the angel are various gravestones with more trees in the background.John Devine/BBC
Yaxley Parish Council said it paid £1,500 to have the tree turned into a praying angel and was "very pleased" with the result

The mystery surrounding the appearance of a wooden angel in a cemetery that sparked social media speculation of a divine intervention has been solved.

Residents of Yaxley, near Peterborough, were mystified by the sight of a 6ft (1.8m) tall angel that "appeared from nowhere" in their village.

The parish council later announced it had appointed an artist to carve the figure out of a giant redwood tree, or Wellingtonia, that was felled due to it causing subsidence to a nearby 1880s chapel.

Artist Lisa Langley said several designs were submitted before the council chose the final one.

John Devine/BBC Sally Leckie, 59, has white wavy shoulder-length hair with sunglasses perched on her head. She has a floral dress with a silver heart on a necklace. Behind her are gravestones surrounded by grass.John Devine/BBC
Sally Leckie lives in Yaxley and said she was "shocked and just amazed by the work"

Sally Leckie, 59, regularly tends to her husband's grave in the cemetery.

"It was so odd as it seemed to appear from nowhere - I'm up at the cemetery quite a lot," she said.

She described it as a "real work of art" and said she "couldn't stop looking at it".

Local social media groups were full of speculation around who might have carved the angel and why it appeared.

Lisa Langley Lisa Langley has short brown hair pulled tightly over her head. She has a gold nose stud in her left nostril and a light green T-shirt on. She is standing right next to the carved angel's face, which is life-size.Lisa Langley
Wood carver Lisa Langley said it took just over three days to create the angel

Ms Langley, 44, said after getting the go-ahead she carved the creation with chainsaws of different sizes.

"It is always a bit nerve-wracking undertaking a site carving as there is a lot of pressure to get it right, so I did not get a lot of sleep the night before," she told the BBC.

She said some people spotted her during her carving and they had different stories to tell about the tree.

"Several people told me that as children they would punch the tree, as it would not hurt your hand," she said.

"This was due to the 10cm (4in) of spongy bark, which can still be seen now around the base of the design."

Lisa Langley Lisa Langley has a brown T-shirt on with dark trousers and is wearing a safety helmet with a visor. She is using a chainsaw to carve the wooden angel. Gravestones and trees are in the background.Lisa Langley
Ms Langley said the carving took place on a week she said goodbye to her grandmother, and found the setting "very therapeutic and fitting"

Yaxley Parish Council said: "Due to serious subsidence damage affecting the nearby chapel building, it was with great sadness that a large Wellingtonia tree in Yaxley Cemetery had to be felled.

"The tree was a much-loved landmark, admired by generations, and its loss has been deeply felt by the community.

"In recognition of its significance, Yaxley Parish Council commissioned a local artist to carve part of the trunk into a praying angel. The sculpture is truly beautiful and now stands as a moving tribute, preserving the spirit and memory of the tree for years to come."

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