Wild West maze carved in fields

The whole design covers 14 acres

The face of a Native American chief, a cactus and a coyote have been carved out of a Staffordshire cornfield.

The Wild West scene, which covers 14 acres, is the latest design at the National Forest Maize Maze near Burton-upon-Trent.

The maze has been blessed by a Native American in a traditional cleansing ceremony.

Farmer Ivor Robinson, who co-owns the site with his brother, said GPS technology was used to make the design.

The pattern is the sixth design at the site where the appearance of the maze is changed annually.

'Magical' design

Mr Robinson said: "We plant the whole field of crop in April and then chop the patterns out of it. The chopping takes about a day and a half."

He added: "Last year we had an Aztec theme with a pyramid; the year before it was magical, with a Harry Potter theme.

"We've had dinosaurs, pirates and a spaceman theme before that."

The Wild West design was blessed by a Native American called Que Vato Cosio Da, which means "man who greets the sun singing".

Que Vato Cosio Da, a member of the Hopi Nation of the Eagle Clan, wore traditional clothing and a head dress and used eagle features in the ritual to bring good fortune to the maze.

The National Forest Maize Maze is open from Saturday until 7 September.