AN ICONIC piece of Middlewich history has been saved from demolition.

A brick sculpture of the Bisto Kids advertising logo engraved into the wall of the RHM factory, in Booth Lane, has been carefully removed and is due to go on permanent exhibition in the town.

Heritage worker Kerry Fletcher, from Middlewich Vision, has been desperate to get the sculpture out of the empty factory since demolition work started at the site before Christmas.

She said: “It is fantastic that the Bisto Kids sculpture has been saved from demolition and we should recognise all the hard work that many people have put into ensuring its safe removal.”

Kerry enlisted the help of Middlewich builder John Wickham who spent two days removing the sculpture.

Hundreds of artefacts, including photographs and promotional material, have also been salvaged and Kerry is hoping to open a public exhibition to ensure the long-standing Middlewich employer never gets forgotten.

She added: “We are grateful to the previous management team at RHM who helped us secure many artefacts and photographs from the factories for the Canal and Salt Town Middlewich Project.

“We are hoping to be able to give the sculpture a new home in a heritage centre so that local people will be able to share and continue to enjoy this important part of our heritage.”

The factory, famous for its Bisto Gravy and Saxa salt products, closed in November and is currently being demolished as part of a multi-million pound redevelopment of the site by Shropshire-based developer Bovale Ltd.

Managing director Charles Collier said: “Although plans have not yet been finalised for the site, it is anticipated that it will be regenerated for employment use, residential and mixed development.

“We would like to see the Bisto Kids back in one of the new buildings in the future, but hope that many more local people will benefit from the sculpture being accessible rather than in storage in the meantime.”