AN IMAGINATIVE duo moo-ved hell and high water to come up with a quirky creation for an off the wall public art exhibition in Manchester.

Pickmere artist and interior designer Christine Wilcox-Baker was one of five people chosen by the Northwest Development Agency to design the artwork for the agency's sponsored cows in the forthcoming CowParade and was delighted to be asked to create a design representing Chester.

She said: "Chester is such an inspiring place so it was fabulous to be asked to create a design that could include the river, Romans and rows along with other moo-numents!

"I decided I wanted to put my cow in a boat but before I submitted the design I needed to know if it was possible. I rang around a few different boat yards but I don't think they quite believed what I was doing."

Which is where Vern McEwan, of Sunshine Marine, Middlewich, came in. He was 'more than happy' to provide the rowing boat and fit the fibreglass sculpture into the craft. He said: "I've heard some weird and wonderful things, but I couldn't believe it when Christine explained what she wanted the boat for. The idea totally appealed to me and I just had to see what it would turn out like."

And so Daisy Dee was born. Her background colour represents Cheshire sandstone and is painted with a street plan of Chester and a range of Chester's famous buildings such as the cathedral and the Eastgate clock are included.

Daisy and around 150 other painted bovines have been grazing the streets of Manchester since Monday.

The exhibition, which is part of an international public art project, runs until September 12, when the best of the herd will be auctioned off to raise money for a number of regional children's charities.

Christine said: "This is a fantastic opportunity to bring art to everyone and make it more accessible and I am very excited to be part of it."

gsproston@guardian.co.uk