BRAINTREE workers made the famous Mandela statue that has become a focal point for tributes.

At least 15 employees at the Morris Singer Art Founders, based on the Springwood industrial estate, cast the 9ft high bronze statue, which stands in Parliament Square.

Tributes and flowers have been left there following the death of South Africa’s first black president late last Thursday evening.

In June 2006 the Braintree foundry received the mould for the statue.

Artist Ian Walters said his inspiration for it had come from when Nelson Mandela visited Bedford and unveiled a bust of Archbishop Trevor Huddleston, leader of the anti-Apartheid campaign in this country.

The statue, which weighs of a 3/4 tonne, was officially unveiled in 2007 in front of Mr Mandela and his wife, Graca Machel, bringing to an end a seven-year campaign for a statue in central London.

At the time, Rod Seaman, Morris Singer Art Founders chairman, said: “We have done a lot of busts and statues of great people, but creating this one was particularly enjoyable and we are very proud of it.”

The Morris Singer Art Foundry, which was established in Somerset in 1848, created many famous pieces of work including the Bobby Moore statue for Wembley Stadium and the Boudicca statute outside the Houses of Parliament.