Heartbeats used to light up park in art display

A free light event featuring people's heartbeats is set to take place in a Stoke-on-Trent park.

Light up Middleport will showcase a series of light installations ranging from a flying fish made from recycled plastic bottles to boxes flashing in time with residents' heartbeats, tracked using sensors.

The event is the first in a series happening across north Staffordshire over the coming months with future events planned in Hanley and Newcastle-under-Lyme.

Heather Dowler, interim director of Appetite, one of the organisations behind the events, said they were about "bringing people together during the darker months with free, joyful experiences for our communities".

Two people taking part in the heartbeat exhibition are Jess and Tom Simm who moved to Middleport 10 years ago.

Proud residents, Jess said when they first came to the area the one house they could afford had no running water, heating or floors.

"Stoke is a shock, it's a very different culture here I feel, but once you've been here ten years and assimilated into that it's a great place," added Tom.

The exhibition, The Matter of The Heart, has been set up by arts group idontloveyouanymore.

Creative director, Anna West, said the piece "celebrates that we are a living thriving community".

The event runs on 21 and 22 January from 16:00 GMT to 20:00.

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