A LANDMARK Olympic sculpture made with Boltonengineered steel was officially unveiled yesterday in London.

The £19.1 million ArcelorMittal Orbit was fabricated by Lostockbased Watson Steel and is almost twice the height of the Angel of the North and 22 metres taller than the Statue of Liberty.

The sculpture was created by artist Anish Kapoor and structural designer Cecil Balmond.

It is 115 metres high, weighs 15,000 tonnes and features a looping lattice of tubular steel.

Watson has also engineered most of steelwork for stadia, bridges and other structures across the Olympic site.

work started on Orbit in January, 2011, and Watson’s precision-crafted steel parts were transported to London in segments.

The firm’s managing director, Peter Emerson, praised his workforce for turning a drawing board concept into reality.

Bolton steel also inspired the Olympic’s alien-like mascots, Wenlock and Mandeville, who were unveiled at Bolton Arena last year.

Their shiny faces are said to be made of two drops of steel from the Olympic batch. They also have London cab-style taxi lights on their heads and one eye to photograph new friends on their Olympic travels.

Children at St Columba’s Primary School in Tonge Moor had the chance to meet them at their unveiling and the youngsters, in the most, gave them the thumbsup.

London design firm Iris created the mascots, which were described as bold and striking. The wacky pair have been used in education programmes to draw youngsters in to the Olympics and sport.

Wenlock's head is shaped like a three-level Olympic podium and he wears friendship wristbands in five Olympic colours.

In contrast, Mandeville’s head is shaped like an aerodynamic helmet featuring the three Paralympic colours.

No one at Watson was available for comment.