Church hosts floral light display for charity

In return for a charity donation, people can dedicate flowers in memory of their loved ones

A landmark Liverpool church is being lit up with 2,000 specially designed steel flowers in honour of people affected by cancer.

The Garden of Light event at the St Luke's Bombed Out Church has been organised by the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity and will run for two weeks until 5 December.

Artist Emma Rodgers, who is a patron of the charity, designed the glowing installation and said she hopes it will be a "calm, tranquil space".

Fellow patron, the actor and comedian Johnny Vegas, was among hundreds who attended the opening of the event. His father was supported by the Clatterbridge.

Patron of the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity Johnny Vegas spoke at the official launch of the Garden of Light

The church in Leece Street was all but destroyed by German bombers during World War Two, with only a shell of the early 19th Century building surviving the Blitz.

For a donation to the cancer charity, poignant dedications can be hung from the steel flowers' petals.

The steel flowers were designed by artist and patron of the charity Emma Rodgers

There are Clatterbridge Cancer Centres in Liverpool, Wirral and Aintree as well as a network of clinics across hospitals in Cheshire and Merseyside.

Katrina Bury, chief executive of Clatterbridge Cancer Charity, said: "This display is an opportunity for people to pay tribute to loved ones and those who care for them in a wonderful glowing garden filled with hope."

People will be able to see the flowers in the church garden from 12:00 GMT until 20:00, except on Mondays and Tuesdays when the opening times will be 16:00 until 20:00.

The artist said she hopes it will be a "calm, tranquil space"