A fairground horse has been reprieved from the knacker’s yard thanks to an enthusiast from Hampshire.

The antique wooden galloper horse was one of the lots at a recent sale of items from the estate of well-known Manx artist Simon Buttimore, by Murray’s auctioneers.

Ernest Andrews, from Romsey, organised an online bid to buy the horse, paying several hundred pounds for the item, and he is now appealing to the Manx public to help him find out its history.

Originally he believed it to have been part of a ride at the famous White City at Onchan, between the 1950s and 60s. But now he believes the horse, which is rather older than that, may have been part of an attraction at Shimmin’s Gardens initially at Ballasalla and later at Silverdale.

’If it was from Shimmin’s originally that makes the horse even more of a Manx antique as I believe those gardens go back to the 1920s,’ he said.

’As a hobby, I restore old fairground artwork for my own collection and have already successfully restored three old galloper horses - two of them are in our lounge.’

He added: ’I always try to establish the history of items in my collection and would love to understand more about the horse. I can tell from the design of the horse that it was definitely made by Spooner’s in Burton-on-Trent in the early 1900s.

’I understand that the horse came from a set of Gallopers that appeared at the White City, Onchan, during the 1950s and that the ride was broken up there in the 1960s.

’I believe the Myers family were the operators of White City at this time.

’What I really would love to understand is, where did the ride come from before it arrived at White City?’

Mr Andrews said he would be delighted to hear from anyone who could remember the horse as part of a ride either at White City or at Shimmin’s Gardens and if anyone had any photographs of it, that would be even better.

He has already begun restoring the horse, to be named Mona. It would originally have carried a name but this has long since been destroyed beyond recognition. He also plans to paint the three legs, possibly on to the saddle.

’It’s great that a piece of Manx history will be very carefully restored and be in a very good home, albeit in Hampshire,’ he said, adding: ’It will take a long time to complete but I will supply pictures once finished.’

Anyone who can offer more information can contact Mr Andrews via [email protected] or by calling 695637.