Athletes in the arboretum

After a delightful weekend in Swanage it was back to the rather grim reality of a day in the office at Derby today.

I managed to get out for a brief lunchtime walk though, and headed for Derby Arboretum, which I didn't know existed until this morning. I'm pleased I have found it because there are few potential subjects for future blips there. It was donated to the town in 1840 by Joseph Strutt, a philanthropist and industrialist. In recent decades it had suffered from vandalism and neglect, but has recently been revived with the injection of Lottery money.

I have chosen this image of the rear of the original Entrance Lodge because it is rather topical with this colourful set of athlete sculptures that are presumably there as a homage to the Olympics.