MEMBERS of the public are being invited to see a very special artwork being created during the half-term holiday.

During the past few weeks, hundreds of people have been submitting messages to Durham County Council describing why they are proud of their connections to the area.

And now their words are being brought together by artist Kara Strachan and her colleagues in four large mosaic-like images.

When brought together, the canvasses will form one single picture – measuring 12 metres long by two metres high – and celebrating the very best of County Durham.

Members of the public are being invited to see the wall taking shape during the half-term week by visiting one of four host venues.

As well as watching the artists at work, visitors will have a final chance to contribute their message and see it being added to the wall.

From Tuesday to Thursday 31 May, Kara and the team will be working on the wall at Beamish Museum and in Millennium Place, Durham and will be at Dalton Park in Murton on Sunday.

On Friday they will be at The Witham in Barnard Castle

Cllr Simon Henig, Leader of Durham County Council, said: “We’re very pleased that so many people have shown their support for this unique project by sending us their messages for inclusion in the wall.

“Our area has so much to offer and its clear from the hundreds of messages we have received that people are extremely proud to be associated with County Durham.

“I’m sure the finished message wall is going to look very impressive and I’m very much looking forward to seeing it.”

Each panel of the wall, which is being developed as part of the council’s Celebrating Durham campaign, will showcase a different aspect of the county.

The first features Seaham’s much-loved Tommy statue looking out to sea as the sun rises over the stunning Heritage Coast. This skyline drew viewers from around the world when it was the subject of a live broadcast on Facebook earlier this year.

The county’s rich history, heritage and culture is represented in a collage of images which features Lumley Castle and the Emirates Riverside Ground at Chester-le-Street, which next year hosts Cricket World Cup matches. A coal truck from Beamish Museum in the foreground serves as a reminder of the county’s mining roots.

Also featured is Durham Cathedral, part of the World Heritage Site. As well as being one of the county’s most popular visitor attractions, the cathedral also plays a central role in Lumiere, the UK’s largest light festival, which is held in historic Durham City.

Completing the image is High Force in Teesdale. Located in the North Pennine Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty

Members of the public can still submit a message for inclusion in the wall on www.durham.gov.uk/helpdurhamshine or tweet @DurhamCouncil using the hashtag #HelpDurhamShine.