A STUNNING art installation has taken centre stage in Cockermouth to mark the 250th anniversary of the birth of Dorothy Wordsworth.

The 3D 'Portrait of Dorothy', on Main Street, was specially commissioned by Kirkgate Arts and Heritage as part of a year-long ‘I Am Dorothy’ celebration project.

It was switched on alongside the town's Christmas lights.

ArtFly, the Ulverston-based art practice of husband and wife team Chris and Jennie Dennett, designed and made the installation.

“There are very few portraits of Dorothy so we know her best through her words,” said Chris.

“That inspired us to create her image using her journal entries and poems, with each letter varying in size to form a pixel of the image.

“She’s then been laser-etched onto Perspex sheets and up-lit with LED lights so as you move in front of the sculpture a 3D portrait of Dorothy is revealed - a woman in words.”

Emma Heys, Kirkgate's general manager, said: "Dorothy is Cockermouth’s most famous daughter.

“We wanted to do something really special for our townspeople in her 250th year and to shine a light on this amazing woman.

“She collaborated with her Poet Laureate brother, William, and was a key influence on him.

"I think it looks beautiful. The artist has created a new may of making a 3D image.

"It was lovely to see it in it's full glory, I love it."

The 3D portrait is held together by a wooden frame shaped like a flower press and stands on a plinth woven from Lakeland willow and hazel.