Why is a wooden woman going on a tour of Galloway?

With her hair piled on top of her head and one arm outstretched in welcome, she bears more than a passing resemblance to a young Barbara Windsor - the Carry On star who went on to go down in legend as Eastenders landlady Peggy Mitchell. But the life-size wooden woman has not been made to stand behind the bar of the Queen Vic - instead it will sit on a picnic bench in the remote Galloway hills. The figure will be unveiled in a short ceremony on Waterside Hill on 31 May but before that it will stop off - on a replica bench - at a number of locations nearby. Sculptor Robert Lawrence said he hoped it would encourage people to enjoy the view and consider the history of the Glenkens area. McNabb Laurie, manager of Dumfries and Galloway Woodlands, said: "It is simply impossible to be next to this figure and for it not to provoke discussion." The sculpture is part of the Woodlands Plus project - looking at exploring how to add social, economic and ecological benefits to the area. As part of this, new interpretation boards were installed on Waterside Hill last year that reveal the history of the area, and a new picnic bench was installed near the summit. Now the life-sized wooden figure has