A HOUSING estate in Blackburn will become a hive of activity thanks to a new sculpture.

A stainless steel, burnished beehive is to be put on the Shadsworth Estate roundabout in Haslingden Road, to signify the Blackburn with Darwen coat of arms. Artist Malcolm Robertson is working with children from Queen's Park High School and Crosshill Special School and is holding welding workshops so youngsters can help make bees to go with the hive.

The work is funded by the Single Regeneration Budget and the European Regional Development Fund and forms part of environmental improvements taking place at Shadsworth.

It will be fitted at the roundabout in time for Easter.

Coun Andy Kay, chairman of the council's regeneration committee, said: "This sculpture is part of our ongoing commitment to make public art available to as many people as possible and demonstrates a link between the regeneration of the borough and the many educational activities that have been taking place since we became a unitary authority."

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