TWO artists who create sculptures in sand are to build a ten-foot-high replica of Beverley Minster in the heart of the east Yorkshire town.

Husband and wife Paul and Remy Hoggard, who have created works in the Far East and the United States, will fashion the image of the 12th-century church from 80 tonnes of builder’s sand. It will be enclosed in a glass gazebo, and could remain in place for up to five years.

The couple hope that it will be the first of up to 12 sculptures forming a public art show, “Beverley Through the Ages”. They plan to start next month near the Minster, in Flemingate.

In a statement on their Facebook page, Mr Hoggard, who was born in the town, described the Minster as the jewel in Beverley’s crown, and said that they would put a raised scaffold walkway around the model so that the public could observe it close up. A team of volunteers would take care of cleaning the glass every month, and make any simple repairs.

“Each sand sculpture will be a unique work of sand art, stunning in detail and totally non-political, and 100 per cent family-friendly,” he said.

The couple have created thousands of sculptures for events, festivals, and international competitions. In 2000, they were commissioned by the Royal Cornwall Show to create a sand sculpture for the Queen; and a trail built in the Iranian capital, Tehran, four years ago, is still on display. They are currently working on an 800-tonne project in Denmark.

The Vicar of Beverley Minster, Canon Jonathan Baker, said: “I think it is a splendid idea. He couldn’t choose a more beautiful building, but I hope he is going to be careful — the Bible is not particularly encouraging when it speaks of building projects involving large quantities of sand.

“However, I wish him very well with it, particularly when it comes to the flying buttresses; we have a lot of those. Also, I do hope he will be able find room for the odd peregrine falcon, which are nesting in the western towers.”