THE group behind a new piece of public art in Burnley has denied it has a design flaw after it got off on a flat note.

The Singing, Ringing Tree Panopticon at Crown Point, which was officially unveiled on Thursday, is made from tubes of metal which emit a low sound when the window blows through them.

But over the past few days the noise has been barely audible.

The Mid-Pennine Arts Group, which was behind the £1million Panopticon scheme, denied there was a design flaw.

Gayle Knight, from the group, said the recent strong winds had been behind its quiet start.

She said: "There is no design fault whatsoever. The speed of the wind affects the volume and the tone.

"That is the beauty of it, everytime you go up there the sculpture makes different noises and sounds."

At the unveiling, guests and dignitaries, including the Mayor of Burnley, Coun Mohammed Najib, struggled to hear the sculpture because of ferocity of the wind.

The Singing Ringing Tree is one of several pieces of public art to be installed across East Lancashire as part of the controversial Panopticons project.

Colourfields, in Blackburn's Corporation Park, became the first in the Panopticon series to open in June.

That was followed by Atom at the top of Wycoller Park, Pendle, in September.

The Halo, which looks like a flying saucer is to be unveiled in Haslingden.

However, the Ribble Valley rejected plans for one of the Paopticon sculptures and Hyndburn Council said a Panopticon would be unwelcome.