The hunt is on to find the artist behind an 8ft totem pole which mysteriously appeared on a clifftop walk.

Kent Wildlife Trust, which manages the nature reserve along Capel-Le-Ferne, say the structure appeared on the North Downs Way between Dover and Folkestone, but they have no idea why.

The installation, which has proved popular with walkers, has been carved from a single tree and is inscribed with the name Perkūnas, a Baltic God.

Keen to keep the artwork, the charity now needs to apply to Dover District Council for retrospective planning permission but hopes to find the artist behind it to help shed some light on the piece.

The charity’s area manager Ian Rickards said: “The artist behind this would have spent hours painstakingly carving out the details and we are keen to keep it on our reserve.

“The artwork seems to be a hit with the walkers who have taken selfies and congratulated us on the installation, but we had no idea how it came to be there – it’s a ‘totem’ mystery!

“The local council has given us eight weeks to submit planning permission and it would be great to track down the person behind ‘Perkūnas’ to get a bit more detail so we can keep it.

“The planning application will incur a cost to the trust, so if anyone would like to make a donation to help fund the process, it would be gratefully received.”

Conservationists have viewed the new installation as a good omen as, according to mythology, Perkūnas is the God of sky, thunder, and lightning, and it is hoped it may perhaps influence some calmer weather.

The totem pole is situated a few miles from the recently released red-billed choughs, which are now flying above the White Cliffs of Dover for the first time in 200 years.

They were reintroduction as part of a project between Kent Wildlife Trust and Wildwood Trust, supported by Paradise Park Cornwall.

The cliffs are used by nesting seabirds and patrolled by peregrine falcons, and it is hoped that they will provide the perfect habitat for the new population of red-billed chough.