A SCULPTURE made from metal reclaimed from a North-East steelworks site has been unveiled at a primary school.

The model tree has been created by artist Andy McDermott and designed by pupils at The Grove Primary School, near Consett.

He has been working with a group of children aged seven to 11 years since October on the project.

Local historian Alan Swinburne visited school to talk to the children about the former steel works bringing with him footage and large pieces of steel to show the children.

The aim is to give pupils a quite place the school to reflect and remember things from the past.

Jacqueline Handy, manager of the Bees Buzz childcare provision department at the school, which funded the project, said: “It is important that we remember the steelworks because a lot of people lost their jobs when they closed.

“A lot of our grandparents were employed there and some of them never worked again. It was very sad.”

Mr McDermott, based in Byker, Newcastle, contacted Ace Engineers, who are working on a new housing development on the former steelworks site, which closed in 1980, and they donated the materials.

He said: “It has been great and their response, in terms of the imagination, enthusiasm and care they have shown, has been inspiring.”