Art trail youngsters show their mettle

YOUNGSTERS have shown their creative side to help design an art trail in Stockport.

The group worked with artist Karen Allerton and blacksmith David Hyde to create cast and wrought iron objects.

It is to celebrate Stockport’s links to the iron industry, which was once a major employer in the borough.

The young people researched the history, focusing mainly on the production of manhole covers and taking part in the forging process.

Other items that were produced include a bench and lamppost designs that will now form a trail across Reddish Vale Country Park.

Karen said: “The process of hand forging a strip of metal into a decorative piece requires focused concentration, an element of risk and potentially a certain amount of frustration, which resulted in a fantastic sense of achievement.

“This will be an invaluable experience for the young people involved.”

The project was supported by Stockport council’s youth offending service, the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Friends of Reddish Vale.

●●Lewis Spence, from Highfields Inclusion Partnership and Councillor Colin Foster, executive member for young people, with the bench