Fear not, however. Instead, it is a striking, colourful reminder of the historic significance of the last year. Sidney the snake was started by Debbie Hardy during the first lockdown and housed outside Layer Primary School. She began with his striking green head and, within weeks, he had grown to a considerable length, with adults and children adding an array of beautifully-painted stones. By the autumn, it was clear stones were beginning to disappear so kind-hearted villagers conjured up a plan to move Sidney and immortalise him in concrete in Layer de la Haye s memorial garden, at The Cross. The project stemmed from an idea by Secret Layer, a Facebook page run by Sue Bennett and Laura Wade.