GLASGOW-based sculptor Andy Scott - the man behind the Kelpies tourist attraction - is to create another dramatic large horse for the centre of Edinburgh.

Andy, who designed the giant models of Clydesdale horses heads that are visited by thousands of people every year, is to unveil a 14ft sculpture of a chariot horse on George Street for the Festival period.

The sculpture will be an outsized version of The Rook from a new chess set that Scott, whose Kelpies in Falkirk are now among the best known example of public art in the UK.

The new giant public art work, to be made in conjunction with jewellers Hamilton & Inches, will be made in galvanised steel and will be erected in early July outside the company’s showroom and workshop.

The “chariot horse” has been designed by Scott to be “evocative of the ancient Persian definition of the piece” and is unlike many of Scott’s heavy horse statues, being adorned with a feathered head dress, bridle and collar.

It will be in place in Edinburgh until the end of September, sitting across a series of suspended parking bays of the busy street which will be pedestrianised during the Festival in August.

This year marks the 150th anniversary of the jewellers and it is engaged in a series of collaborations with Mr Scott, including a new chess set, The Game of Kings, as well as other objects.

The sculptor said the hand-sculpted chess figures for the large chess set “as much a work of art as a board game.”

Each piece will be inspired by the monumental head and neck designs of The Kelpies, and will be made from sterling silver.

Mr Scott said: “There is a mutual recognition and respect between myself and Hamilton & Inches’ team of silversmith craftsmen.

“You don’t see any computers in our workshops - our work is rooted in the traditions of Scottish craft and I like that.

“The Game of Kings collaboration celebrates 150 years of Hamilton & Inches and is utterly unique in its scale compared to my Kelpies or Heavy Horse sculptures.

“I am really pleased to be creating something so intimate, and the figurative chess set pieces have a beauty and history that allows me to create truly unique sculptures to be rendered in silver.”

He added that his Bishop from the set will be shown at his imminent show in New York, which opens on June 9.

Of the large horse figure, he said: “It will be one of the chess pieces, but at a giant scale.

“I joked with Hamilton & Inches that the 30cm versions were really just maquettes for a huge landscape chess set with each piece at three metres and set on a landscaped setting…. then thought, why not build a piece?

“Hamilton & Inches loved the idea, and got permission from Edinburgh Council to install the sculpture temporarily on George Street for the Festival.”