DISTINCTIVE wood carvings created by a skilled artist in the shadow of Durham Cathedral have gone on display in the World Heritage site.

Durham sculptor Fenwick Lawson has produced a number of larger-than-life carvings, some featuring Christ and the early North-East saint Cuthbert, whose remains were placed in a shrine at the newly-built cathedral 900 years ago.

Several of Mr Lawson's works have been chosen to feature as part of a national cathedral exhibition series to mark the 150th anniversary of the work of the Christian charity BibleLands.

It doubles up as a display to herald the ninth centenary of the translation of St Cuthbert's relics at the cathedral.

The Dean of Durham, the Very Reverend Michael Sadgrove, opened the exhibition, called Presence, which will run for the next five weeks.

He said it was fitting that Mr Lawson's work, produced in his studio in nearby Bow Lane, should be given a prominent place in the cathedral.

"We are very proud of Fenwick, with whom we have this close relationship.

"It's wonderful to have his sculptures on display which so specifically suit the cathedral and stand as a powerful reminder of God's work in the person of Jesus Christ."

Durham is the sixth cathedral to display work by artists on the run-up to BibleLands' 150th anniversary, which will be marked with the opening next month of a teaching hospital in Nazareth to train Arab nurses.

Mr Lawson, who only took up sculpting when he retired as a lecturer in the 1970s, is delighted to showcase his carvings in the cathedral.

"It's an honour. In a sense I'm a child of this building, having known it almost from birth and it still fills me with wonder."

Published: 03/08/2004