DARWEN Library’s ‘Sorry, no dogs’ policy is about to be relaxed.

Staff have been assured that the new arrival will sit very quietly and not make as much as a whimper during a five-week stay.

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Its owner, Darwen sculptor Marjan Wouda, is confident it won’t disturb the usual tranquility of the library’s junior section because it’s not a real dog but an example of her art.

Kath Farnworth, chair of the Friends of the Library said: “The dog is really sweet. I’m sure it will be very popular with the children.”

The resin and stone-dust sculpture is based on the story of Old Mother Hubbard and usually sits on the back of his friend the goat. Marjan, who lives at Whitehall, said: “The dog doesn’t have a name in the nursery rhyme.

“We are going to have a competition for children to come up with one.”

The dog has just returned from a tour of the south of England where he and his friends have been appearing in art galleries from Ross-on-Wye to Kent.

In the autumn several items of Marjan’s collection will go on display at a prestigious gallery in the USA at Georgetown, Washington DC.

Several bronze castings of other examples of the naughty dog will be on display including every child’s favourite – the dog who stood on his head.

She has several other pieces in a touring King of the Cats exhibition by a group of artist friends of hers.

It has already been to the Whittaker gallery in Rawtenstall and to Lancaster.

It goes to the Longitude Gallery at Clitheroe in August and then on to Ormskirk, Towneley Hall and Preston.

One of her most largest pieces of work is a giant bronze casting of a woolly mammoth for a sculpture garden at the home of multi-millionaire publisher Felix Dennis in Stratford-upon-Avon.

He saw Marjan’s work in a London gallery and commissioned several pieces from her. One was a sculpture of Charles Darwin riding a tortoise which was her idea.

Marjan came to England from Holland as a young student and spent time on voluntary work.

She loved the freedom which artists of all sorts seemed to enjoy and decided not to return home.