Rustic cattle captivate Connolly

Scottish comedian (and former ship welder) Billy Connolly was smitten by Jeff Thomson's creations.

Comedian Billy Connolly is shipping two New Zealand cows to his estate in Scotland - corrugated iron cows, made by Helensville sculptor Jeff Thomson.

Connolly, a keen collector of sculpture, commissioned the cows after seeing Thomson's animals in the Connells Bay Sculpture Park on Waiheke Island, when he was filming a segment for Billy Connolly's World Tour of New Zealand late last year. The park will feature in an episode on TV One.

The scultor said when Connolly saw the cows at Connells Bay the comedian said: "Of all the things you've got in this garden, I want the Jeff Thomsons."

While the cows excited Connolly, Thomson would add only: "I've made a few cows in my time."

The life-size cows will be shipped to Scotland next week.