A SCULPTURE that marked the 450th anniversary of Prior Pursglove College has been praised for its outstanding design.

The winning creation was the brainchild of students Sammy Jackson and Heather Green, both from Redcar.

The 9ft sculpture, which forms a lasting tribute to the Guisborough college, was fabricated by blacksmith James Godbold.

The sculpture itself is a large tree made from metal and features 45 leaves; one for each decade there has been education on the site of the college.

Some of the leaves have been stamped with various symbols representing the different aspects of education within the college and some have been left blank so that future generations can add their own mark to the tree.

The trunk is placed upon a plinth made of three books, one of which is also blank symbolising the on-going education and future growth of the college.

Sammy said “Since the college was 450 years old we thought that an oak tree would symbolise antiquity. We chose vines instead of a solid trunk so that it was a delicate design. The book plinth is to symbolise education, along with the stamped leaves showing different subjects so that the overall effect is a tree of knowledge.”

Both students have now finished their courses at Guisborough based Prior Pursglove College but were both in attendance at the commendation ceremony.

Heather said “It’s a real honour, I wasn’t aware of the commendation until a week ago so it’s a lovely surprise. Lots of effort was put into the design of the sculpture so it’s nice to see that it has paid off and will be admired for years to come.”