A Brentwood artist who teaches in a Harold Wood school is busy putting the finishing touches on a 25ft-long sculpture that will be displayed on Blackpool promenade next month.

Tony Stallard, of Tyler Way, teaches art part-time at Redden Court School, Cotswold Road, but outside of school hours, his passion is creating sculptures using neon lights for that extra effect.

His latest piece, called Frankenstein, consists of a gas tank, donated by British Gas, with a replica skeleton of a killer whale inside. The bones will be lit by dark blue neon light, and people can see it through windows cut in the tank. The sculpture will weigh seven tons.

Tony explained: "I have been doing sculpture for six years and have been using neon for three years, but this is by far my biggest project.

"In fact it was so big I had to hire another studio because mine wasn't big enough. One of the biggest problems we still have to face is getting it to Blackpool. It will be going up there on a large lorry and will be on show from June 1." The piece is one of four sculptures that are a part of a £500,000 art scheme funded by Blackpool Council and a number of art companies. Tony also has a piece, called Gargoyle, on display at Chelmsford Cathedral for their Art Festival.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.