But thanks to topiary expert Steve Manning, a whole herd of the impressive beasts has been drawing the crowds in Pakenham.

The 12 sculptures, made from willow stretched across a stainless steel frame, have been commissioned for an exhibition in Hyde Park by charity Elephant Family.

Steve, 47, who runs the business with his wife Jackie, said: "It is lovely to see them on our property. There is nothing like a herd of elephants and they look quite impressive in Pakenham."

Standing up to nine feet tall with babies reaching three feet, the elephants are the result of six months' hard work by Mr Manning and his assistant Joe Crane.

Made from willow grown in Pakenham with one elephant in artificial boxwood, each sculpture took about one month of man hours to make.

Mr Manning said: "They just look so majestic. There has been a constant stream of people coming to see them."

Money raised by the show – which starts on September 3 in London – will go to help the charity dedicated to the conservation of the endangered wild Asian elephants.

This is the second time the team have created elephant sculptures for the charity, they created the creatures out of turf for a similar exhibition last year.