THERE will be a community art installation on Hexham's Sele to mark COP26.

Hexham Town Councillor Alison Smith will mark out the outline of a tree on the Sele slope this weekend with the help of local artist Carl Von Weiler.

Coun. Smith, who is also the owner of Matthias Winter, said she has selected a tree to represent the importance of trees on all lives and the future of our planet.

Members of the public are invited to contribute to the growth of the tree using natural finds including fallen leaves, conkers, and twigs, which they can bring from home or find around the Sele.

To attach leaves to the ground, Coun. Smith recommends spent matches but said people can be "as creative as they like as long as they use natural materials".

The project will run from the first day of the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference on Sunday, October 31 until its last day on Friday, November 12.

Coun. Smith said: "I am hoping that contributing to this community art installation will give people a sense of wellbeing, belonging and being part of a bigger picture.

"People may wish to write messages of hope for our planet on larger leaves.

"At the end of the project the leaves will be removed and returned to nature leaving no impact on the Sele."