PRINCESS Anne has officially opened the North-East’s newest landmark.

Northumberlandia, the world’s largest human landform, was created in the Northumberland countryside with spoil from a nearby opencast mine.

The reclining figure of a naked woman, dubbed the Goddess of the North, was designed by renowned artist Charles Jencks.

It is more than seven times the size of a football pitch and taller than an eight-storey building at its highest point.

The opening ceremony was held on the Blagdon Estate, near Cramlington, which with Durham-based mining firm The Banks Group, spent about £3m on the project as well as providing the site.

It is intended to be an iconic gateway feature as it is close to the A1, the East Coast Nain Line and Newcastle Airport.

Northumberlandia will initially be open to the public between noon and 4pm on Wednesday to Saturday, September 8.

Details of subsequent opening times are available at www.northumberlandia.com.

Estate chief executive Bob Downer said: “We are extremely honoured to have been able to welcome The Princess Royal to Northumberlandia, and to have had her officially open this unique artwork, which now graces the Northumberland countryside.”

He added that the scheme “will bring many benefits to local people in terms of leisure, nature conservation, tourism and public health.”

Banks Group communications manager Katie Perkin said: “This project was envisaged as an outstanding artistic landmark, which would stand alongside the region’s other main tourist attractions, as well as providing high quality leisure facilities for use by the local community and visitors to the area for many decades to come, and we are thrilled with the way in which it has been realised.”

She added that it would attract more visitors to the region and to South East Northumberland.

Euan Hall, chief executive of the Land Trust, said: “We are very excited to be involved in securing the long-term future of Northumberlandia.

“Although this is a truly breathtaking piece of public art, it subtly blends with the natural landscape and crucially gives people a new park that they can enjoy.”