A PIECE of work by a Dartington artist and sculptor has been the centrepiece of a holiday island celebration involving a 19th century British sea-faring hero.

The life of Admiral Lord Collingwood has just been commemorated in three days of celebrations on the Mediterranean isle of Menorca.

And part of the major celebrations was the unveiling of a bronze bust of the admiral — commissioned by the Royal Navy and created at a Dartington foundry by artist Andrew Lacey.

Lord Collingwood was the man who took over the British fleet during the Battle of Trafalgar after the death of Lord Nelson.

After it was won he ordered out boats to rescue the hundreds of French and Spanish sailors from stricken or sinking ships and had them landed at Cadiz where they were handed over to the Governor of Andalucía.

After Trafalgar he was sent to Menorca to take charge of the British Mediterranean Fleet with a residence in El Fonduco overlooking the island harbour.

The Association Menorca Britannia — which is a cultural group encouraging greater understanding of the links between the British community and the islanders — took charge of the life-size bust which has now been placed in a special garden on La Isla del Rey overlooking the admiral's last home on the island.

Creator Lacey is a sculptor/founder and experimental archaeo-metallurgist who specialises in bronze casting.

He runs his sculpture studio and bronze foundry from the estate at Dartington.

His two-metre high bronze horse head sculpture, called Megalith-Still, was inspired by a poem by Ted Hughes and is currently on display near the entrance to the Great Hall courtyard at Dartington.