A STRIKING piece of public art is to transform a prominent corner of Ellesmere Port, previously decorated only by large advertising hoardings.

The steel-and-glass structure, which depicts intertwined birds, is being installed near the traffic lights at the corner of Station Road and Meadow Lane.

When it's completed by the end of this week it will welcome visitors entering the town from Junction 9 of the M53.

The site of the artwork has been screened off by advertising hoardings for some years, but the new design promises to act as a more artistic, attractive and inspirational screen, which follows the bird-themed decorative paving on the opposite corner of the crossroads.

This is the latest in a series of improvements, funded by European money, which are designed to breathe new life into the main corridor into Ellesmere Port town centre.

The council's head of technical services, Jane Williamson, said: 'We had a brilliant response to the stunning 5m-tall bronze sculpture which now graces the entrance to Station Road and are sure people will be just as inspired by our latest addition to the town centre corridor.

'The steel on the bird structure will look grey when it is first installed but the idea is that it will turn to orange, adopting a more weathered look, when we get some rain.

'I'm sure people will agree that it's a vast improvement to the advertising hoardings that people used to get a view of as they sat at the traffic lights!'

The artwork is expected to be fully installed and ready for viewing by Friday.