A secret sty home to pig sculptures before they are set loose on the streets of Ipswich can now be revealed as an East of England Co-op warehouse in the town.

Ipswich Star: The pig sculptures in their new home waiting for the artists to paint them ready for Pigs Gone Wild this summer.The pig sculptures in their new home waiting for the artists to paint them ready for Pigs Gone Wild this summer.

The retailer has been announced as an official Pigsty Partner for the Pigs Gone Wild project, which will see 70 decorated porcine sculptures dotted around Ipswich in a trail beginning on June 27.

They arrived in the UK earlier this month, and are being housed at the Co-op warehouse on Boss Hall Industrial Park until they are ready to roam the town centre and Waterfront.

Nick Denny, joint chief executive for the East of England Co-op, said: “We are excited to be involved with the Pigs Gone Wild project and look forward to seeing the town come alive in the summer months when families from across the region take part in the trail.

“We are very happy to be able to offer one of our warehouse spaces to host the pigs in the lead up to the trail – we hope they are settling in well and relaxing before their big adventure.”

Around 40 large pig sculptures, decorated by artists and sponsored by local businesses, will be joined by 30 junior pigs created by local schools and community groups.

After the trail the junior pigs will be given back to their creators, whilst the larger pigs will return to the pigsty before being auctioned to raise money for St Elizabeth Hospice.

Norman Lloyd, Pigs Gone Wild project manager, said: “We are delighted to have the East of England Co-op on board as our Pigsty Partner and we’re very grateful to them for giving our piggies a home before and after the trail.

“Pigs Gone Wild is set to be the biggest mass participation public art event Suffolk has ever seen and as a local project it’s great to have the ‘local’ Co-op as partner.”