Sand art holds serious message on South West Beach
The Sand Art marks the start of National Road Safety Awareness Week
Last updated 20th Nov 2023
An enormous piece of sand art has been created on a South West beach to commemorate those who lost their lives in road traffic collisions in Devon & Cornwall.
The 50-metre wide circular pattern was created by hand at Saunton beach in North Devon by Cornish artist Chris Howarth - also known as One Man and His Rake – and photographed by award-winning drone specialists Bad Wolf Horizon.
The spiral motif is made from 47 hearts, each one representing a person who died on our roads last year.
The sand art was commissioned by the Vision Zero South West road safety partnership to mark the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims on November 19 – which is also the start of Brake’s National Road Safety Week.
The tide eventually washes the hearts away, symbolising the partnership’s commitment to reduce fatal and serious collisions to zero.
Alison Hernandez, Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly, is chair of Vision Zero South West.
Commissioner Hernandez said: “It’s vital to remember that these aren’t just numbers – these are people’s loved ones and family members, parents, children, brothers, sisters, friends.
Councillor Stuart Hughes, Devon County Council’s cabinet member for Highway Management and vice-chair of Vision Zero South West, said: “We know the damage and lifelong impact caused by fatal and serious collisions, but we also strongly believe these collisions can – and must – be avoided."
Find out more about the Vision Zero South West Road Safety Pledge here.