HUNDREDS of people came together to light up the night sky around Southend as part of an ambitious art project.

About 1,000 volunteers with torches formed a circle with an eight-and-a-half-mile circumference, encompassing land and sea and stretching around Westcliff and the pier.

Specially positioned, they shone their lights into the sky between 7.45pm and 8pm on Saturday evening so the moment could be recorded by film and photograph from above.

Anna Heim, 46, Sean Berry, 41, and Paul Manners, 46, are the artists behind the project, and have been planning it for about a year-and-a-half.

Anna, of Station Road, Westcliff, spent the evening in a helicopter looking down on the work unfolding below. She said because there were less volunteers than the expected 2,000, they did not get the circle they had been hoping for. However, she still judged the project a "tremendous" success.

She said: "The main purpose was to raise community spirit and bring people together who, under normal circumstances, wouldn't meet each other.

"From that point of view it was definitely a success. I've had some really brilliant feedback from people.

"From above, the circle was very patchy."

The project cost less than £2,000 which was paid for by the project organisers and by sponsorship from local businesses.

Five members of the Alexandra Yacht Club in Clifftown Parade, Southend, rowed out to the estuary to form part of the circle west of the pier.

Former club commodore Gary McKay, 47, of Pembury Road, Westcliff, said: "It was absolutely brilliant. It was a bit chilly and choppy out there, but we were exhilarated."

Mother and daughter Dawn and Nicole Simmons, of Coniston Road, Canvey, made up part of the circle in Chalkwell.

Nicole, 18, said: "It went really well. There were lots of people where we were."