THE designer of a huge work of art proposed for the hills over Accrington has tried to persuade people it is a good idea during a public meeting.

Residents gathered in Accrington Town Hall on Saturday to find out more about the Panopticon ideas for the Coppice -- which, at this stage, involves a proposed sculpture created from mounds of earth.

It is part of a £1million project to use a sculpture in each of East Lancashire's six boroughs as visitor attractions.

But members of Hyndburn Council gave the project the thumbs-down earlier this month and suggested some picnic tables would be better.

The meeting was held to gather people's opinions on what should be done at the Coppice.

Designer Peter Beard, who won a competition to decide on the Accrington project, said: "We wanted to get feedback from the community. I think people have assumed the concept designs I've put forward are final designs, which they aren't.

"The new designs will go on display at venues across Accrington next Tuesday, March 22, and Mid Pennine Arts who organised the meeting are keen to produce a design which is owned by the people of Accrington.

"

Feedback from this meeting and from the consultation next week will be considered by the project's steering group, which meets in April.