There’s a new cat in town – well, high above the A494!

Lots of people have been in touch over the last few days to say a cat ‘sculpture’ has appeared alongside the A494 in Deeside.

The lifesize feline statue appeared sometime on Monday on top of a billboard frame just past the former RAF Sealand base on the Westbound side.

Some questioned whether it had been fitted with a covert speed camera to catch those speeding in the new 50mph zone -unlikely as there’s pretty much always a queue.

The sculpture bears a striking resemblance to one perched on 12 ft pole above Kelsterton Road in Connah’s Quay.

It was in place for a day or so before mysteriously disappearing –

Netty Hodson, who tipped us off about the Connah’s Quay cat took the opportunity to go an seen the new cat in town alongside the A494.

Heard the Cat was back so I had to go and take a look 👍🏼 @DeesideDotCom @DiscFlintshire pic.twitter.com/3RaF9WarvA

— Netty (@nettyhodson) June 27, 2018

The Connah’s Quay cat made a fleeting appearance in May – it’s believed ‘men in grey suits’ sanctioned its removal just a day after it had been installed –  Deesidecom contacted the council about the cat but they did not respond.

The cat statues have been created by Flintshire artist ‘Random’ – dubbed by local media as the ‘Flintshire Banksy.’

The artist is well known locally for his intricate portraits of ‘ordinary people doing ordinary things’ such as the Salmon Fisherman and the Merchant Seaman which appeared on green buoys on Dock Road.

More recently Random created a mural honouring the late Sir Terry Pratchett on a council-owned wall near Buckley town council building.

His work isn’t to everyone’s taste, however, when asked about ‘Flintshire Banksey’ art one grumpy County Councillor said a few years ago: “I’m not very happy about it.

You have to draw a line somewhere. Wherever you go in the USA, this sort of art form seems to be encouraged, and to some people, it seems to be a gross act of vandalism.

If these people want to want to draw attention to some of these outrageous drawings perhaps we should have a special board and let them draw away to their hearts. But for goodness sake, leave the public buildings alone.”