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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Dianne Bourne & David Flett

Earth Sculpture sinks into Salford Quays on second day of light trail

A huge Floating Earth Sculpture has sunk into Salford Quays due to the high winds and torrential rain that battered the region over the weekend.

The giant globe is the centrepiece of the free Lightwaves Festival, which will run from 5pm to 10pm every night until December 12.

Saturday night's weather conditions meant organisers had to pull the plug on the lights spectacle that evening just one day after it had been launched, as reported by the Manchester Evening News.

But the festival reopened tonight - albeit with the globe still submerged in the water.

The Earth model, which measures 10 metres in diameter, is normally illuminated and suspended in air to create a floating appearance.

Organisers hope to "power up" the Floating Earth sculpture again later in the week (Chris Payne)

But, despite all of the festival's 11 other light installations now operating as intended as part of the spectacular light trail, festival organisers Quays Culture have confirmed that the Floating Earth sculpture will NOT be powered up for the next few days as more high winds are forecast.

A spokeswoman also confirmed, meanwhile, that the sculpture is not damaged - it just looks "sunk" because the power has been removed.

She said: "The Earth isn’t damaged. It just had the power removed and was unsafe to attend to yesterday, but the team are assessing today to get it back on for later in the week."

Artist Luke Jerram created the sculpture, using detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface.

Floating swans were back at the Lightwaves Festival this evening (Chris Payne)

Organisers anticipate that the rest of the light trail will be fully functional over coming days.

The festival is suitable for all the family and free to attend and includes a mesmerising water ballet with glowing robot swans, a light arch and illuminated garden across Salford Quays and MediaCityUK.

For more stories from where you live, visit InYourArea.

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