A 10-metre high piece of art is to be put up in Whalley Range in a bid to create a "focal point" for the area.

The red clay sculpture is reminiscent of a piece of 'fusilli' pasta - but has been backed by local councillors, residents and traders.

It will be built over the next six months at the junction of Victoria Street and Barbara Castle Way, Blackburn.

Council bosses say it will be the "final piece in the jigsaw" of its £1.3 million improvement scheme for the area, funded jointly by the council and regional government bodies.

Pakistan-born artist Halima Cassell, who lives in Blackburn, has come up with the design after working with youngsters at St Michael's with St John's Primary school.

The improvement scheme is aimed at boosting trade in the area.

Yousuf Mohammed, of kitchen specialist Penny Profit, Victoria Street, said the twisted design reminded him of a honeycomb.

He added: "When it's done it should look very nice."

And Hamida Patel, who owns the Cinnamon Cafe in Regent Street, said: "I might have expected something a bit more ethnic, but as long as it looks nice and I can see it out my window it's fine.

"If they light it up at night it will look nice. It's definitely needed - the council has spent so much money doing this area up, something like that will set it off."

Ms Cassell, 32, is a former Queen's Park High School and Blackburn College student. Her work has been displayed in Japan, South Korea and in the United States, and a selection of her sculptures will go on show in the Victoria and Albert museum, London, this month.

She said she had been inspired by maths and geometry in designing the Whalley Range piece's "rotating" shape.

She said: "People will say it reminds them of whatever they want. You are always going to get different comments. It's about getting a focal point in the area."

Coun Alan Cottam, executive member for regeneration said: "This exciting sculpture is the final piece of the jigsaw in our plans to revitalise Whalley Range.

"It will be a focal point, not just for the community but also for visitors to the borough."

Work to transform the Whalley Range shopping area started in April and includes improvements to pavements, new bins, new seating, lighting and traffic changes.

But traders have raised concerns about the traffic problems the work has brought.

Council bosses say the final cost of the sculpture has not yet been decided.

A model is on display at Blackburn Visitor Centre in Church Street.