Visitors 'overwhelmed' by Bedworth Covid memorial Sanctuary

Many messages have been left on Sanctuary by members of the Bedworth community

Visitors who have left messages at a Covid-19 memorial temple have described it as "overwhelming".

The 20m (65ft) work called Sanctuary at the Miner's Welfare Park in Bedworth, Warwickshire, will be set alight on Saturday.

Designer David Best said he wanted people to "bring some of the worst things you have in your life and we'll burn them".

Messages to lost loved ones are already being added to the structure.

One said: " We miss you mum", while another read: "To all my friends and family I love you so much".

Designer David Best and creators from Artichoke said they want the burning of the temple to symbolise letting go of pain and grief

Helen Marriage, director of Artichoke, which has created the memorial, said: "It's a rising temple to the grief and loss that people have experienced over the last two years".

Ms Marriage added the ceremonial burning on Saturday is where everything is let go and "all that pain and grief is just up in the sky".

Mr Best, from California, is well known for his large-scale intricately carved structures at the Burning Man festival in the United States.

He collaborated with members of the local community in North Warwickshire to make Sanctuary.

'Bedworth never forgets'

Maureen and Ann are local residents of Bedworth and came to visit Sanctuary.

"I just think its wonderful. I have never seen anything like it, it's quite overwhelming," said Maureen.

A tearful Ann had also left a message on the structure and said she "didn't think it would affect me like that, it's very emotional".

Residents will soon see Sanctuary go up in flames but Ann added that "Bedworth is the town that never forgets".

The temple will go up in flames on Saturday to symbolise letting go of the pain and grief of the Covid-19 pandemic