Just what has happened to Covid the Cobra - a snake made from more than 10,000 hand-painted and unique stones during the first lockdown in 2020?

The brightly-coloured snake was started on Stevenage’s Grace Way cycle path by mum Dawn Parnell and her young children, Eddie and Owen, to bring some cheer during the coronavirus lockdown.

It caught the imagination of people all over the town, who added their own stones, before Stevenage Borough Council put all the stones in safe storage, with the aim of preserving Covid the Cobra in Grace Way, after the location was voted for in a public poll in July 2020.

More than 18 months on, and with no sign of the installation in Grace Way, the Comet asked the council for an update. A spokesman said: "The preservation of Covid the Cobra is a community initiative which Stevenage Borough Council is helping to facilitate and support the development of. It is being led by Dawn Parnell and Junction 7 Creatives.

"SBC offered to store the stones until Dawn and Junction 7 Creatives sourced sufficient funding and agreed on a final format and design for the artwork.

"To clarify plans for the stones, we sourced a spare unit in the indoor market to bring the artwork to life with a timeline about its journey. The unit, which opened on January 13, provides a source of information to the whole community on the development plans for the project.

"We are currently working with all parties involved to find a permanent home for the artwork in the Grace Way area, as the community voted for. However, due to the sheer quantity of stones, pandemic restrictions and preferred locations being mainly highways property of the county council, there have been delays.

"There are currently plans progressing to instigate phase one – a mural in the underpass where the cobra started. Phase two will be using the stones to create a lasting feature for the community to commemorate the pandemic.

"We invite people to visit the display inside the market unit for all updates on the project."

Dawn added: "We hope to move forward with the underpass painting soon. The restoration of stones is awaiting further consideration on its design etcetera."