Pictured: Sky Blue Sam on the Ricoh Arena tractor fitted with one of Milsco's seats

The shock of seeing a sky blue elephant in your place of work would be enough to leave most people in need of a sit down.

Fortunately seats were in healthy supply when Coventry City mascot Sky Blue Sam turned up for the first day at his new job with Nuneaton-based seating manufacturer Milsco.

Sam has become an employee at Milsco after the company decided to sponsor him for the rest of the 2011/12 campaign and take an advertising hoarding at the side of the pitch at the Ricoh Arena.

Milsco has also provided the seat for the club's tractor, which can be seen in regular action around the Ricoh Arena along with Sky Blue Sam who won't be letting his new role get in the way of supporting his beloved Sky Blues.

Stephen Forrester, managing director at Milsco which is based in Bermuda Park, said: "We are delighted to have Sky Blue Sam on the team, we had to produce a special office seat suitable for taking the weight of an elephant, but fortunately we are experts in that field!

"We are pleased to have struck up this partnership with Coventry City and to be able to offer our support to the Sky Blues' biggest supporter - Sky Blue Sam."

Milsco Manufacturing is the largest global manufacturer of off road seating products. From its purpose-built factory in Nuneaton it has been manufacturing and servicing its European customer base since 2001. The company is committed to supporting local businesses and its prestigious customer base includes many of the country's leading brands such as Caterpillar, JCB, Terex and Thwaites.

Tynan Scope, corporate sales manager at CCFC, said he was delighted Milsco had decided to sponsor Sky Blue Sam and that he seemed to be settling in with his new colleagues.

"Seeing a seven foot sky blue elephant in the office certainly raised a few eyebrows, but everyone at Milsco seemed really happy to have Sky Blue Sam on board," said Scope.

"The support of local businesses is crucial to the success of CCFC and we are extremely pleased to have the backing of a firm like Milsco which already plays an important role in the local community."

Coventry City offers a wide range of sponsorship opportunities ranging from matchday sponsorship to player sponsorship.