Hundreds turn out to see statue of goose who was killed by ducks

Hundreds of people in Essex turned out to witness the unveiling of a life-size statue of a goose who was killed by ducks last year.

Godfrey the Goose was a favourite among the villagers in Writtle for over 30 years until a gang of Indian rubber ducks, understood to be domestic pets who were dumped into his pond, attacked him.

The village was left devastated when Godfrey, who was known for photo-bombing wedding photos, died of his injuries three months later, the Essex Chronicle reported.

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Godfrey photobombing a wedding. Photograph: Facebook: Rebecca Farries Photography.

His death spurred local man Bob Hibberd to fundraise for the life-size clay statue, which is made of 30 kg of clay and stands 60cm tall and 66cm in width.

Mr Hibberd’s partner Jean Cakebread, who produced a book about Godfrey, said: “I think this will bring some closure to the villagers who were upset at Godfrey’s death.”

Speaking to the Essex Chronicle she said, “Because he was so old, over 30, people grew up with him from being in pushchairs all the way through to adulthood, and he was a real character.

“He used to chase people around, so while he was a figure that was feared by some, others loved him, and it is testament to that, that we were able to raise £500 to create the statue.”