First look at head of Glasgow's new giant snake statue

The 121-metre structure, stretching along the Stockingfield Bridge site in North Glasgow, has been nicknamed the Kelpies’ cousin.

It depicts the Beithir, a mythical serpent in Scottish folklore and will serve as the centrepiece of the community artwork being installed around the area.

Lord Provost Jacqueline McLaren, Nichol Wheatley, ceramic artist Ruth Impey, and John Paterson and Scottish Canals chief executive (Image: Colin Mearns, Newsquest)

Today, the city's Lord Provost Jaqueline McLaren placed the first few tiles on the creature's head, which is three metres wide, two metres high and four metres long and has been revealed fo the first time.

It has been formed using reclaimed material from the site and will be covered in mesh and coated in ferro cement with a colourful mosaic finish.

Then, the tiles will continue down the serpent's body, as part of a local effort including residents' artwork.

Designed by artist-curator Nichol Wheatley and supported by Make it Glasgow, a community interest company, the project is expected to take up to five years.

He said:  “I’m deeply honoured to be the artist for the Beithir. I’ve worked in and around Maryhill over the last 25 years and I’m delighted to be making the Kelpies’ cousin at Stockingfield Bridge.

“The bridge, which crosses the Forth and Clyde Canal now links the communities Maryhill, Gilshochill and Ruchill in the city for the first time since the waterway opened in 1790, the artwork will now tie those communities together."

READ NEXT: Work starts on giant mythical snake at Stockingfield Bridge in North Glasgow

The Lord Provost said: “I’m so excited about the Stockingfield Bridge and the tangible improvements it has brought to the city connecting our people and our communities.

"This imaginative artwork and the community involvement it’s inspired has made this a truly collective project.

“It’s fantastic to be fixing the first tile of the serpent’s head and I’m looking forward to its completion as the Beithir makes its dramatic appearance from the water on what promises to be a landmark structure and a real crowd-pleaser.

"Congratulations to everyone involved.”