SIXTY of the most lovingly and amazingly decorated life-size acrylic hogs are set to bring home the bacon in one of the biggest fund raisers Haslemere has ever seen.

With more than £12,000 already raised from the sale of the hogs and decorated by professional artists, amateur painters and school children from across The Herald’s circulation area, the hogs and their two-legged friends came together on a bright spring day on Saturday to meet up at the grand Hog Parade Launch held in the grounds of Haslemere Museum.

Several thousands of pounds has already also been raised from the sale of limited edition bone china mugs featuring all 60 of the hogs, which is eventually hoped to bring in an additional £18,000 for charity.

You could be fooled for thinking this was all an April Fool’s Day bit of fun, but masterminded by the ‘Hogmaster’, well-known businessman Brian Howard a former mayor and town councillor, the project has a serious side in aiming to top £25,000 for the mayor’s charities.

Town mayor Sahran Abeysundara said: “Haslemere Hogs is a brilliant initiative to promote the town and raise valuable funds for charity. They are a fun way to put Haslemere on the map and encourage people to visit our beautiful town.”

The money raised will benefit the mayor’s charities – The Kaleidoscope Trust, Action Medical Research for Children, Positive Action and the town’s Penny Ha’ Penny Trust.

Mr Howard said: “I am really overwhelmed by the level of community involvement with more than 20 hogs bought by schools and youth groups among them The Place to Be Youth Club, Guides and the local Air Training Corps.”

Among the hogs were a couple of ‘star’ exhibits, one sponsored by BBC TV chat show host Graham Norton – and aptly named Gra-HAM S-Norton – and another belonging to Shottermill Infant School was autographed by BAFTA-winning actress Julie Walters who visited the school last week. Hammy Trotter pays homage to the actress who played the witch and matriarch Molly Weasley in the Harry Potter films.

An evening hog roast at the museum attracted some 80 people with dancing to The Charcoal Burners who gave their services free.

Anyone wishing to purchase china mugs priced at £10 each can do so through Marley Flowers at 29 High Street, Haslemere.

You can email brian [email protected] or call him on 07711 081834.