SEDBERGH-BASED artist Michael Madden is pretty chuffed with himself - and so he should be after his new sculpture has been added to the Natural History Museum.

Michael's chimpanzee peering through banana leaves (pictured right) is the first and only new sculpture added to the London museum's grade 1 listed Waterhouse Building since its completion in 1881.

The sculpture was unveiled by museum director Sir Neil Chalmers and replaces a deteriorating reproduction put into place after bomb damage destroyed the original in the Second World War.

"The Natural History Museum has been one of my favourite buildings since childhood," says Michael, who was born in London's Mile End and trained as a specialist architectural decorator and muralist.

"I'm delighted to have been given the opportunity to employ some of my skills and to be the only sculptor to have a new piece of their work incorporated onto the faade of the building since it was completed.

"It really was a once in a lifetime chance.

"While the new piece was being installed I won the contract to sculpt some new life-size figures for another prestigious public building - the London Coliseum, home of the English National Opera.

"I will be undertaking the clay modelling for this project at Shaw's of Darwen, in Lancashire.

"So it seems that my career has hit a lucky streak, partly as a result of the museum piece.

Michael's impressive Almighty Cheeseburger with Fries was one of several of his pieces that turned a few heads at his The Politics of Ornament (part one) exhibition at Coniston's Brantwood in April.

He returns to Brantwood for a follow-up show next year.