FANS surrounded TV star Martin Clunes as he launched Bournemouth’s biggest art project yesterday.

Excited families snapped away as the star of Doc Martin posed in the seafront surf.

He is backing Pride in Bournemouth, a plan to scatter more than 50 fibreglass lions around the town next summer.

Each one will be sponsored by a business and given a unique design by a local artist.

It follows similar schemes in Liverpool, Norwich and Northampton and is designed to create a summer trail for tourists and residents alike.

So would Mr Clunes, a resident of Beaminster in West Dorset, be painting one himself?

“No, I’m a terrible painter! The only thing I can draw is an elephant’s bum!” he said, and drew exactly that.

See the organisers of the project explain what it's all about

The lions will be in town for three months next summer and then auctioned off for charity.

The money will go to the Corfe Mullen hospice Julia’s House, and the wildlife charity Born Free – Mr Clunes is a patron of both.

He said: “It’s a lovely idea and it gives Bournemouth a link to the charities’ work on very emotive subjects.”

The team behind it are Wild in Art.

They have created similar events already including Go Superlambananas in Liverpool, Superdragons in Newport and Go Elephants in Norwich.

All are said to have generated millions of pounds worth of publicity and attracted extra visitors.

So why Lions for Bournemouth?

“Why not?” said director Charlie Langhorne.

He said the Lions would be in both obvious and hidden places, adding: “The main thing is they will make people smile.”

The beachfront crowd were certainly curious as they posed with the endlessly amiable Mr Clunes.

“It’s a nice idea – good fun,” said Sharon Geter, from Newbury.

Johanna Lawrence from Southbourne, the artist-in-residence at the Royal Bath, has painted the first lion in a ‘stained glass’ style inspired by the hotel’s interior windows.

Nigel Hedges, president of the Bournemouth Chamber of Trade, was confident companies would pay up, adding: “It’s really inspiring and people in other areas loved it.”

See tomorrow’s Echo for more details about Pride in Bournemouth or go to bournemouthecho.co.uk/pride