Londonderry: Council plans to save crochet city

Artist Ainé Clarke feared the display could have been "boxed up and packed away"

The artist behind a crocheted scale model of one of Europe's most historic walled cities has welcomed plans to have it displayed permanently.

More than 60 people painstakingly handcrafted the model of Londonderry to mark 400 years of the city's walls.

It is currently on temporary display in the city's old Ulster Bank building.

Artist Ainé Clarke said it had been feared it would be "boxed up and packed away" after it leaves its temporary home on 11 October.

But now Derry City and Strabane District Council has intervened to make the artwork a longer-term fixture in the city.

A council spokesman said their plan was to place the artwork "in a glass case and display it in various arts venues around the walls."

The exact details of venues are still being finalised.

Initial explorations as to where the model would be housed permanently had proven challenging, Ms Clarke added.

The crochet city is made to scale and features the four main streets within Derry's walls

She said if a permanent home had not been found it would have been "boxed up and packed away".

"To lose it would have been a real shame, so much work went into creating it and it really is something unique," she said.

She said she had lost count of the number of people who had come to see the artwork in its current home.

"Everyone seems to love it, when kids come through the door they are amazed by it," she added.

Crochet expert Ainé enlisted the help of tourists and the public to create the crochet model

The model features the four main streets that run from the city's Diamond as well as some of Derry's most notable landmarks.

It was created after the district council asked for creative ways to mark 400 years of the walls.