AN artist who created an inflatable work in which two people died when it flipped over in a North-East park, went on trial yesterday charged with manslaughter.

Maurice Agis, the 76-year-old designer of the Dreamspace sculpture, which became airborne in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, on July 23, 2006, appeared at Newcastle Crown Court accused of the manslaughter of two people who were inside.

Agis, of Kirton Gardens, Bethnal Green, east London, also faces a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act of failing to protect employees from risk.

Mr Agis denied the charges.

The work of art slipped its moorings and tipped over, before it became snagged on a security camera pole near the River Wear in Riverside Park, Chester-le- Street.

Claire Furmedge, a 38-year-old mother-of-two, from Chester-le- Street, and Elizabeth Collings, a 68-year-old grandmother from Seaham, east Durham, died.

More than a dozen other visitors were injured, including three-year-old Rosie Wright, from Langley Park, County Durham.

The plastic inflatable was in the North-East as part of an Arts Council-funded national tour.

Inflated by large fans, the panelled 2,500sq metre PVC structure was big enough for people to enter and experience the changing colours and sounds inside.

Before the jury was sworn in, Mrs Justice Cox told potential jurors: “This case concerns an incident which occurred in July 2006, at Riverside Park, in Chester-le- Street, when an inflated artwork became airborne and, as a result, it tragically resulted in some loss of life and some injuries.”

She said that anyone who had visited Dreamspace or any similar artwork, which is “designed so visitors can enter it and walk around” should not sit on the jury.”

The judge showed the jury a scale model of Dreamspace, which was brought into court in a large wooden box.

No evidence was heard yesterday and the jury was instructed to return for the opening of the case tomorrow morning.

A visit to the Riverside will take place on Thursday.