Giant 105 foot Gomersal snake created as a reminder of Covid pandemic

Gomersal Rocks started out as a Facebook group set up by mum Kate Addison during lockdown last year.

Kate and six-year-old daughter Chloe started painting rocks and hiding them for people to find on walks.

Families loved the idea and started joining in and a Facebook group was set up for people to post pictures of their colourful creations.

“It was a great way to get people involved and give them something creative to do in lockdown,” said Kate, 38.

The idea quickly snowballed and while some people who found the rocks loved them so much they kept them, most people hid them again and the chain carried on.

In mid-April Kate decided to make the rocks into a snake to let more people see them and the collection started at Pork Pie Chapel.

By September the snake had grown too large and Kate took it home for safe-keeping before deciding what to do next.

She thought the snake could be a permanent artwork to remind people of what they did during the global pandemic.

Eventually she found a location at Hill Top outside Gummy Bears Day Nursery in Oxford Road and the snake has been set in concrete in a 2ft high raised bed.

In all there are an amazing 501 individually painted rocks – from cartoon characters to flowers, ladybirds to tractors, an old Nokia mobile phone to a padlock with a rainbow. If uncoiled, the snake would stretch to 32 metres or 105ft!

“I did this for the kids but the oldies love it too,” said Kate. “I can’t pick a favourite rock because each one is brilliant.”

Kate has also had a plaque specially made which reads: “The Gomersal Rock Snake – bringing the people of Gomersal together during the Coronavirus in 2020.”

Kate and Chloe held an orange squash and cake stall to raise £50 to buy resin to seal the rocks and protect them from the weather and that’s the next task.

“I want it to be here a long time,” added Kate.