As the 70th anniversary of the Empire Windrush's journey to Tilbury approaches, an intricate piece of art is in the process of creation.

Kite Spirit Textiles have been working with The Port of Tilbury to create a piece of art using textiles as the Empire Windrush enters its Diamond year since it came into Tilbury Docks.

The group are also looking at creating amazing textile panels for the vast windows in the London International Cruise Terminal in Tilbury that outline the history of the building and tell a story.

The group are working on a large textile piece that reflects Jamaica and the lush countryside with all the tropical flora and fauna.

Everyone involved has been working on individual pieces at home and then they meet once or twice a week to assemble their works of art and marvel at each other’s work.

The story of the Windrush will be told in three different panels that will be hung in the Cruise Terminal in Tilbury for the Windrush anniversary celebrations on the 22nd June, during the port Open Day on the 21st July, and throughout the summer.

A spokesman for The Port of Tilbury said: "The textiles will be a spectacle and the story of their creation - from research and planning, to the individual creations and assemble of the final works of art - make it a truly collaborative and spectacular piece of work.

"The Port of Tilbury enjoys being part of these projects and this one has been great to watch as it develops and there is much excitement to see the final piece."

The Empire Windrush arrived at Tilbury on June 22 1948.

It came carrying 493 passengers from Jamaica who had made the journey to the UK with the hopes of starting a new life here.

The Windrush is a notable immigration ship as its passengers were the first large group of West Indians to come to the UK after the Second World War.

When the people from the Windrush arrived at port, they were not wholly met with open arms - many were faced with discrimination and racism.

Originally called the Monte Rosa, it launched as cruise ship in 1930 in Germany.

The ship later sank in 1954 in the Mediterranean Sea, just off the coast of Algeria, after a fire broke out in the engine room.