WHILE creating a new focal point for a Burnley park sculptor Richard Caink had to break off to deal with another more personal production -- the birth of his son Cadan.

The Gateshead-based artist had been staying in a caravan in Burnley while working on a new tree sculpture in Towneley Park for Mid-Pennine Arts and the Forest of Burnley scheme.

But two weeks ago he received a call telling him his wife had gone into labour. He dropped his hammer and chisel and shot straight up to Gateshead for the birth.

Now back a week from his new addition he is just putting the finishing touches to the carving on a 25ft oak stump, left when the tree had its top blown off.

He said the piece will be dedicated to his new son.

Richard, who also has a four-year-old daughter Kesney, explained: "Rather than fell the tree they made it safe and thought they could use it for something positive.

"The piece is representational. I've cut a crescent moon at the top and some stars and the frame into bumps and it's been carved to give lots of curves.

"On the front there are arcing rings that wrap around it and the background has been done with a blowtorch to produce a velvety black."

Richard said the title is 'Through the Wood', based on work which was produced by children at St Stephen's Primary School about 'a journey through wood' with Jackie Kay of Mid Pennine Arts.

He added: "I like the idea of a journey being a metaphor for life. It's a celebration of the tree and the Forest of Burnley and the tree planting they've done over the years."

Richard, 38 has done sculptures all over the country including a giant frame at Chatterton near Ramsbottom in 1997, as part of Rossendale's Irwell Sculpture Trail.

He trained at the University of Northumbria in Newcastle and was born in Norfolk.

The Forest of Burnley Project was a millennium scheme to plant hundreds of thousands of trees in the town's parklands to create acres more forest.