A Bingley sculptor has depicted the crucifixion of Christ using 200 nails torn out of an old mill.

Graham Carey, a member of St Wilfrid's Church, Gilstead, and former Open University lecturer in sculpture, spent hours turning the rusty nails into 15 original works of art on the theme.

One, The Flame, has been displayed at All Saints' Church, Bingley, where the Rector, the Reverend Stephen Kelly, said it had been widely praised.

Others are on show at SPCK book shop in North Parade, Bradford, and one has been snapped up by an Anglican church in Porthmadog.

Graham, 67, a former welder, of Granville Terrace, Bingley, said: "I was in a wood yard in Bradford and they had these hand-forged nails which had been ripped out of the beams of an old mill.

"It's the first time I have used nails and I think it has made a very interesting, unusual effect. I started on the project last summer and am very pleased with what I have achieved. I seem to be going through a particularly creative phase at the moment and am pleased with the variety of designs."

He added: "The nails lend themselves to the cross and I was moved by working on such a subject.

"They are all different and made for churches or 'meditational spaces' though I am open to suggestions if someone has a good site."

Mr Kelly was pleased with reaction to the sculptures, commenting: "I think they are quite good really. Certainly I like the way of using the nails from old mills. The one called The Flame is very effective.

"While they were in All Saints' most people seemed to quite like them."

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