A 56ft-long dragon carved into the roadside as part of a £61million ‘Welcome to Wales’ project has disappeared after being covered in grass. 

The white dragon, built on the A494 near Shotwick on the Wales-England border, vanished less than 20 years after being installed in 2009. 

The sculpture had been intended to be a permanent feature welcoming drivers entering Wales. 

It was made using 400m of steel edging filled with ten tons of white marble pebbles, and was inspired by the historic white horse carvings etched into the Wiltshire hills. 

But while the Wiltshire hill figures have been maintained, the £20,000 dragon has been overgrown by grass and shrubs due to a lack of maintenance. 

One disappointed fan of the sculpture wrote on social media: ‘It’s such a shame.’ 

Another offered to take action to bring back the dragon, adding: ‘I think we should resurrect it. How about we get together, embarrass our council and get it redone? Make it look good again.’ 

It is not the first time the dragon has faced problems, with drivers previously noting the sculpture was facing the wrong way, pointing right towards England instead of left towards Wales. 

The white dragon on the A494 near Shotwick is pictured before being covered in grass and shrubbery 

The sculpture is now no longer visible less than 20 years after being installed due to a lack of maintenance

Its depiction as a white dragon rather than the traditional red also caused controversy. 

Meanwhile, the white lion on the other side of the road has also been covered with dense grass and shrubbery. 

As the two emblems lie just across the border, responsibility for their maintenance lies with Highways England.

In late 2013, following a public outcry over their shabby appearance, National Highways promised action ‘by the end of the month’.

Yet in a five-year review of the £61million gateway scheme, the agency conceded the £20,000 artworks ‘do not appear to have received recent maintenance to ensure the visibility and definition of the features is maintained’.

A National Highways spokesman pledged the white dragon would soon reappear.

A spokesperson said: ‘We recognise these artworks are important local landmarks and need maintenance.

‘To reduce disruption and protect nature at the roadside, we will carry out weeding and clear vegetation as soon as possible as part of our seasonal maintenance programme.’