Gnomes join Robert Bruce in freedom bid

Five figures appear alongside statue commemorating Declaration

A small band of freedom fighters have declared their allegiance to Angus commuters.

The five amigos have found a new gnome from home on Arbroath’s gateway Declaration of Arbroath statue where they have taken up residence alongside the legendary figures of Robert The Bruce and Bernard de Linton.

The five gnomes – three small figures and two larger ones – are thought to have appeared in recent days.

But it’s unknown whether they were placed there by a local wag in an attempt to put a smile on the face of passing motorists, or may have been kidnapped from a town garden and carefully placed at the statue.

The larger figures show no signs of being homesick, however, with a smile and a wave for every passing driver.

The happy ceramic couple have already been dubbed Gnomeo and Juliet by visitors to the Arbroath Online Facebook page.

The Declaration of Arbroath statue is a popular public art feature at the western entrance to Arbroath, but there are plans to give it even greater prominence closer to the historic abbey where the important document was signed in 1320.

Fife artist David Annand was commissioned to create the sculpture, which is now part of the ambitious £250,000 proposals to mark the 700th anniversary of the document’s signing.

The gnomes appeared beside the statue of Robert The Bruce and Bernard de Linton.

Locals have christened the two larger gnomes Gnomeo and Juliet.