THE region’s latest and arguably most striking piece of public art has taken the first step towards its final resting place.

In Our Image, a £165,000 sculpture of a head and shoulders that appears as if still under construction, was lifted out of the factory where it is being created.

The 1.5 tonne head was hoisted out of Aycliffe Fabrications’ workshop, in County Durham, yesterday so it could be connected to the shoulders.

Designed by Gateshead artist Joseph Hillier, it will now be painted before being installed at the main entrance to Aycliffe Business Park.

Mr Hillier said: “This is a very exciting and nervewracking stage of the project with the results of more than 18 months of work dangling from the end of a crane arm.

“This is the only time the work will be seen in this way, but it should give a strong impression of how the piece will be seen against the sky when it is in place, later next month.”

The piece, which was commissioned by the former Sedgefield Borough Council, will stand 16.7 metres tall and will raise the profile of the business park.

Graham Wood, of Durham County Council, said: “This art ideally reflects the progressive attitude of County Durham.”