THE Wellington Monument restoration project is receiving a fundraising boost from a surprising source – a mural on a luxury shed in a town man’s back garden.

John McCarten’s ‘man cave’ at his house in Willcocks Close was built out of breeze blocks in the spring and has electricity, television, desk and other furniture.

Martin Caley of MSC Electrical at Riverside, Wellington, did the work with his daughter, Rosie – and now she has painted a mural on it, featuring Wellington Monument.

Thirty of John’s friends and neighbours paid £10 each to have a favourite bird or animal included in the mural in aid of the appeal for the landmark.

Now the mural is being used to produce Christmas cards and postcards, available soon, in aid of the Monument project with a calendar, prints and a puzzle possibly in the pipeline, too.

The picture includes local author Hilary Bonner’s dog, Rockwell Green butcher Michael Coate’s Blackdown sheep and a turkey for Wellington butcher Tim Potter, among others, plus, of course, Santa Claus.

Nature lover Rosie Caley has a degree in Renewable Energy from Exeter University.

She is now based in Bristol and specialises in murals and other art commissions.