Thousands view cathedral's 'inspiring' Peace Doves

Each of the handmade doves had a message of hope

Almost 80,000 people viewed a display of paper doves at Durham Cathedral, organisers have revealed.

The Peace Doves installation saw thousands of the items suspended from ribbons above the building's nave and ran from late July until Wednesday this week.

Made by cathedral-goers, community groups and schoolchildren in the months ahead of the opening, each bird included a personal message of hope.

The Dean of Durham, the Very Reverend Dr Philip Plyming, said the artwork had been "visually inspiring" and "beautifully represented the thousands of prayers for peace offered by visitors and pilgrims".

'Pause for reflection'

Andrew Usher, the cathedral's chief officer for visitor experience and enterprise, said organisers had been "delighted" to welcome so many people.

"It's been great to see the involvement of community groups from Durham and surrounding areas come together to create a meaningful artwork.

"We've seen many visitors take a moment and pause for reflection and contemplation under Peace Doves, taking in the serene environment."

Visitors described the installation as "stunning" and "peaceful"

Illuminated by LED lights, they were accompanied by music from composer David Harper.

Created by Peter Walker, Peace Doves has been staged at venues across the UK since 2018 when it marked the 100th anniversary of the end of World War One.