Horley blacksmith's '˜scrap' sculptures create a sensation

Ms Naysmith, 20, from Hornton, followed her father John into business as a blacksmith.

Having undertaken specialist jobs such as restoring the huge gilded gates of Blenheim Palace, she has now given freedom to her creativity and sculpted a lifesize horse and a stag.

“I created the horse first, bit by bit, over about six months and the reaction to it has been amazing,” she said.

“Many people saw pictures of the horse on Facebook and since then I’ve been commissioned to sculpt a fox for someone and the stag has only taken me a week to do.”

Ms Naysmith learned her trade at Morton Morrell College, which has since ceased the blacksmithing course. She now has an apprentice with whom she is sharing her skills.

“I owe a lot to my art teacher at The Warriner School, Paul Williamson, who encouraged me in making my first sculpture, a horse’s head which was exhibited at the Saatchi Gallery in London,” said Ms Naysmith, who is becoming accomplished as a gilder as well as a sculptor and blacksmith.

She has used scrap metal from her father’s business in Shenington to create her sculptures - her stag even contains an old spade head.