WHILE Nellie may have packed her trunk and waved goodbye to the circus, Bolton’s two elephant stalwarts remain at their posts.

As these two photographs show, the grey guardians will always have a place in the town.

The cast iron pair, which carry castles on their back, adorned the gateway to Bridson’s Foundry in Chorley Street for nearly a hundred years until 1977.

A new home was then established in Victoria Square on top of the charity canopy.

The canopy was built in 1984 at the corner of Newport Street and was provided by Marks and Spencer to celebrate the store’s centenary year.

It provided shelter for worthy causes,before being demolished in 2014.

After a new coat of paint, the elephants found a new home overlooking the play area in Octagon Square.

A specially made steel structure was made to hold them and visitors can read about their history on an information board.