A new major artwork created by a renowned artist with local schoolchildren has officially been launched on the East Cliff.

Temporary installation Beacons, by Conrad Shawcross, was unveiled today in Ramsgate as part of a cultural project.

Since 2018, more than 70 children from Ramsgate Arts Primary School and St Laurence-in-Thanet Church of England Junior Academy have led the project in collaboration with Turner Contemporary.

The pupils, aged from eight to 10, commissioned the critically-acclaimed artist to create the sculptures which have been installed on Ramsgate’s East Cliff and will remain for a year.

Believed to be the largest scale artwork to have been commissioned by children, the sculptures are a culmination of Pioneering Places, an ambitious project happening across East Kent.

The sculptures are formed of four structures and each comprises a metal tripod supporting a coloured, perforated disc at the top.

They can be made to spin with a hand-driven mechanical system which turns the disks.

There is also a concealed word hidden within the design, based on a coded alphabet devised by the children. The word HOME was chosen by the youngsters to be the message that the beacons send out to sea.

This follows the children’s work exploring Ramsgate’s maritime heritage and the history of its famous Royal Harbour.

The word HOME represents what Ramsgate means to the children and also provides a message of welcome and warmth to anyone arriving in the town by sea or land.

Mr Shawcross said it was rewarding to work with the children on the unique child-led initiative.

"The project has been an odyssey in itself and I cannot wait for both the children and the town to finally see these pieces up," he said.

"The children and I embraced scale, colour and movement to create a series of mechanical devices that send a message of hope and welcome as far as possible out into the sea."

Cllr Ash Ashbee, leader of Thanet District Council, said it is wonderful to see how the collaboration between the children and a renowned artist has led to such an exciting new artwork.

"Ramsgate is home to a diverse and creative community, as well as being rich in history and we look forward to seeing the work installed in the town just as the Royal Harbour celebrates its bicentenary," she said.

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