Politicians are seeing red after a council paid £1.4m for a Blue Carpet which turned out to be a washed-out shade of grey.

Thomas Heatherwick revealed his design to transform a public square in Newcastle in 1996.

His plans for a swathe of vivid blue paving outside an art gallery was greeted enthusiastically by councillors and the public.

But now it is complete - two years behind schedule - Heatherwick's handiwork, called The Blue Carpet, is taking a beating.

Most people have failed to notice it because, rather than being a rich blue, it is an inconspicious shade of dull grey.

Art critics from around Europe will converge on Newcastle on Friday to pass their opinions.

But the carpet, which has taken a chunk of taxpayers' money, has already been given the thumbs-down.

Martin Callanan, MEP for the North-East, condemned the city's latest attempt at public art and said it was a waste of much-needed cash.

He said: "It is incredible that Newcastle City Council can make cuts in other vital areas yet spent so much on this."

John Dobson, a banker from Gosforth, Newcastle, said when he was told how much the carpet cost: "That is ridiculous. All the carpets in my street would not cost that much - and they all look better than this."

A spokeswoman for Newcastle City Council said: "We understand that people have not taken to the Blue Carpet yet but it is still a building site at the moment. "