Dragon tower funding hopes

A multi-million pound 200ft dragon tower project has been given an offer of up to £500,000 to help fund it.

The £9 million project proposes the building of a dragon sculpture on a 100 foot high tower off the A5 at Halton, near Oswestry, creating 50 jobs.

The project, titled Waking the Dragon, is also planned to include a restaurant, cultural centre and art gallery. Art dealer Simon Wingett, who is behind the initiative, said the offer of the loan has come from Visit Wales.

He said funding for the project had been a "chicken and egg" scenario where he needed a body to offer cash before others would follow suit.

That cycle had now been broken thanks to Visit Wales, he said. He is to meet officials on September 13 to move on to the next step to get the money.

"People will now understand this has Welsh Government support. "It is another hurdle we have jumped and it is going to get more and more people in involved. It is exciting."

But before the cash is lent to Mr Wingett he must provide an application and have a business plan assessed.

A Welsh Government spokesman, said officials have confirmed the project may be eligible for a loan of up to £500,000.