AMESBURY’S Ancestor sculpture is back at home after taking some time out to visit Glastonbury Festival.

The 24ft sculpture was at Silver Hayes, the festival’s dance area, and had some fantastic lighting effects that meant its lasers could be seen from all over the site.

Michelle Topps, who spent nine months creating the Ancestor with partner Andy Rawlings, said: “We were delighted to have been asked back for a second time.

“Seeing your sculpture come to life, people interacting with it and taking pictures is always very special for us. Silver Hayes does it so well - he’s the first thing you see when you enter the area, providing a giant welcome to everyone.”

The sculpture of ancient man on his knees welcoming the sunrise can usually be seen at Solstice Park, where he welcomes people to the Stonehenge landscape.

But the sculpture has also made appearances at the Summer Solstice at Stonehenge in 2010 and 2012, greeted the Olympic Torch when it came to Salisbury and became a main stage attraction at the Greenman Festival in Wales.

Transporting the sculpture, which is made from thousands of pieces of cut sheet metal welded onto a metal frame, is no easy feat as it weighs six tonnes and has to be broken into five pieces to be transported.

Mr Rawlings was interviewed by an Australian film director on site and in connection with the Victoria and Albert Museum where an archive is celebrating 40 years of Glastonbury.

He said: “What’s really exciting is they asked me all about him, about Stonehenge and the Olympic torch visit; we feel very privileged that he may be selected for inclusion.”

The Ancestor returned to Solstice Park on Saturday.

Mr Rawlings said: “Who knows where he’ll be off too next!”