Thousands expected at seafront lights festival

Morecambe's Baylight Festival is a free event featuring 18 illuminated installations

Thousands of people are expected to attend a lights festival that was at risk of being cancelled due to budget issues.

Morecambe's Baylight Festival is a free event featuring 18 illuminated installations, workshops and a parade, which starts later and runs over the weekend.

Lancashire County Council and Lancaster City Council added £60,000 to funding from Morecambe Town Council to ensure the event could go ahead for its third year.

Community artist Donna Campbell created a giant illuminous whale to lead the Saturday night parade along the seafront, and said she hoped it would "speak to the child within".

One of the artists, Donna Campbell, has created a giant whale for the parade

"I trained and was working as a knitwear designer when I went to a theatre production with a big lantern puppet," she said.

"I was so blown away I handed my notice in that week.

"I was like – 'I want to do stuff like this'."

This year's theme celebrates Morecambe Bay's heritage and the environment.

It also features an illuminated galleon, inspired by the Moby Dick ship, which was built in Lancaster in 1887.

Originally named The Ryelands, the ship appeared in the 1950 Disney film Treasure Island and the 1956 film adaption of Moby Dick.

It was destroyed by fire in 1970.

The artist says he was inspired by an old slide

The artist behind the piece, Richard Ryan, said his inspiration came from a chance sighting of an old slide of an illuminated galleon on Ebay.

Environmental-based artist Tom Mortlock-Jackson's installation, Biolluminate, uses hydroponics to create a carbon-negative light installation combining light, sound and living plants.

"The work brings to light concerns on food, biodiversity, the use of community spaces and provokes hope for the climate," he said.

Councillor Aidy Riggott said: "Every year since its inception, Baylight has brought a real buzz to Morecambe.

"That's thanks to the brilliant team and talented artists who work incredibly hard to put on a special show."