COMMUNITY leaders in Bradford on Avon have failed in their bid to bring Frida Owlo back to the town.

The Mexican-themed Frida Owlo was sold for £3,200 to a London buyer at the Minerva Owls charity auction in Bath on Wednesday.

James Sullivan-Tailyour, owner of The Swan Hotel, who helped put both the bid together and the initial installation of the owl during the Minerva Owl trail this summer, was disappointed by the result.

BoA Business, the town council and BoA Arts Festival Committee had collected pledges of £2,345 to bring Frida Owlo back to the town.

“We were of course disappointed that we were not able to bring Frida Owlo back to Bradford on Avon as a permanent art installation for the town.

“It really showed how the community pulls together to try to make positive things happen in the town. We were very proud that Frida Owlo sold for such a high price, I believe she was in the top 10.”

Celebrity auctioneer Addison Gelpey, of BBC’s Bargain Hunt, brought down his gavel on the bird, which was lot 45 of 62.

A total of 58 Minerva Owls and three Owlets were auctioned at the Apex Hotel in Bath, so far raising more than £100,000 for four local charities.

Seventy per cent of the proceeds will go to the Forever Friends Appeal at the Royal United Hospital.

The remainder will be split between the Archway Centre, the Carers’ Centre for Bath and North East Somerset and the Little Owl Project in Bath.