Scrap heap no place for Newcastle's rejected sculpture

The steel firm behind a sculpture thrown out by planners in Newcastle has said it is not ready to turn the 65t structure into scrap.

County Durham-based firm Architectural Steelwork (ASL) said it agreed to carry out the job for a cost price of £140,000.

But earlier this month, the structure, which is the brainchild of the Newcastle Gateshead Initiative, was rejected 9-1 by city council planners.

ASL managing director Rob Whatnell said: "We have been paid, so we are not out of pocket, but we are not going to make any money. This was going to give us a lot of exposure, but that is now gone."

The sculpture, described as resembling four pylons, is sitting in the firm's Newton Aycliffe yard, but Whatnell said it has no idea what to do with it.

"We have thrown around ideas such as using it at Glastonbury as a TV gantry, but it would be a real pity if was consigned to the scrap heap," he added.