THE public are to be consulted about proposed artificial rockpools to be built at Hartlepool's Headland.

The project would combine sculpture and marine biology and would be built in the sea off the Headland.

Artist Niki Holmes and her team of ecologists and engineers want to gauge local opinion before applying for grants.

Residents in the Headland have been invited to an exhibition and informal meeting at Hartlepool Borough Hall, between 2pm and 7pm on Thursday, August 21.

A consortium made up of Niki Holmes, engineers, consultants and ecologists from the Scottish Association of Marine Science have been working on the rockpools project since 2001.

The project received a development grant from national body SciArt.

Niki Holmes said: "The rockpools will be both a unique sculptural and educational opportunity.

"The project will allow people to experience at close hand how marine life colonises and affects structures in the sea.

"We are proposing that the rockpools installation will measure about 30ft by 30ft.

"We would like to build the structure between high and low tide on the location of the former Lido swimming pool, incorporating facilities to allow for disabled access and interpretation.

"The rockpools will be both a sculpture and a site for colonising sea plants and animals. They will become like a sea garden.

"How the rockpools look and what lives on them will vary with the tides and over time. There will always be something new there for people to enjoy and explore."