Welsh seaside town hopes to save driftwood mascot ‘Lizzie’

Lewis Smith – Local Democracy Reporter

Residents in a Welsh seaside town say they are hoping to save a piece of driftwood that has become a local mascot in recent months before it is too late.

The object, now known as ‘Lizzy the lizard’, washed up on a Porthcawl beach following a heavy storm earlier this year, capturing the heart of locals after many said it looked like a sea monster, lizard or even a dragon.

Not long after, someone hung a sign around it affectionately referring to it as Lizzy, dressing it up like a lizard with eyes, spikes and even a tongue in a move that resulted in people of all ages visiting for a picture.

Lizzy is 9.38 metres from “head to tail” with a “head height” of 2.46 metres, according to Visit Porthcawl, though many fear time could be running out for the town’s newest mascot with rising tides and changes in weather that could soon see her washed away.

It has led to dozens of posts in local Facebook groups in recent weeks, with many suggesting Porthcawl’s “Logness Monster” be moved by the local authority so it can be kept as an attraction for years to come.

Gemma Lewis owns the Pantri Box, a popular zero waste shop in Porthcawl and says like many others, she would love to see Lizzy kept for people in the area to admire.

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She said: “Everyone in the area seems to love Lizzy and I think it would be lovely to see it kept in the town as opposed to letting it drift out back out to sea.

“It’s been a very popular thing for people to come and visit here since it first arrived and we’ve been down to see it a few times.

“Obviously it would be great if we could get it moved and placed somewhere else in the town and potentially even have it treated so that it can be preserved as I think people would be sad to see it go now.”

Mario Jones is a local town councillor in Porthcawl and said he also wants Lizzy to stay.

He added: “It’s become a bit of a mascot for the town of Porthcawl and like a lot of others I’d love to see it kept.

“Perhaps it could be placed somewhere like one of the grass verges on the seafront, but it would have to happen soon before the tides take it away.”

Despite large numbers of suggestions on social media for places where Lizzy could be moved in recent weeks, Bridgend County Borough Council has said there are no plans to relocate the large piece of driftwood.

A spokesman said: “There are no current plans to remove or relocate the large piece of driftwood that washed ashore at Town Beach some months ago, and which has since drawn interest from visitors.

“Nature brought Lizzy to Porthcawl, and we will let nature decide when it is time for Lizzy to move on.”