Giant sand octopus etched on Cornwall beach

The artwork only lasted a few hours before it was washed away by the tide

Artists drew a giant octopus in the sand of a north Cornwall beach to celebrate the Eden Project's summer programme.

The artwork of the sea creature in front of Eden's iconic biomes only lasted a few hours at Watergate Bay, near Newquay, before it was washed away by the tide.

The Eden Project said the sand drawing represented the "ephemeral and rarely-seen aspects of our natural world", a key theme of its Enchanted Earth summer programme, which runs until 7 September.

Kate Francis, Eden's live producer, said the "completely magical" drawing "wasn't here for long but made a big impact" and provided "a flavour of the surprises in store at Enchanted Earth this summer".

She said the programme of events was an "unmissable immersive experience" made up of "theatre, exploration [and] hands-on discovery".

The Eden Project will also host the Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, with 100 images displayed across the site

The Eden Project will also host the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year exhibition, with 100 images of the natural world displayed across the site until 28 September.

The sand drawing was created by art collective Sand In Your Eye to "emphasise themes of beauty, fragility and intrigue".

Jamie Wardley, the collective's artistic director, said: "The Eden Project is inspirational in its positive and immersive outlook on nature and the challenges we face.

"So much so that it has influenced our own work and we have visited with our family a number of times. We are delighted to be making some beach art together!"

Enchanted Earth will run from 24 July to 7 September and is included in the Eden Project ticket price.