The new panda sculpture at Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds
- Credit: West Suffolk Council
After 23 years service, a popular panda is now off on his retirement - and has been replaced by a younger model.
The wooden sculpture has been a favourite fixture at Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds, since 1998 and sits in the China section of the arboretum surrounded by his favourite food, bamboo.
Senior ranger at the park Dwaine Gray said with the help of volunteers they had tried to maintain the panda - with new paint and scraping off the dead wood - but felt they were losing the battle .