A HUGELY successful arts trail from Teignmouth to Dawlish is back for its sixth year.

The Teignbridge Recycled Art In The Landscape project, known as TRAIL, already has people talking about its unusual, innovative and eye-catching sculptures.

The yearly event has been growing in popularity, with established artists exhibiting alongside newcomers.

It is run by Liz Lockyear with sponsorship and support from Devon County and Teignbridge District Councils, and South West Water.

The sculpture trail will be in place until Sunday, September 5 and runs from Teignmouth seafront along the South West Coast Path to Dawlish.

Puerto Rican artist Imel Sierra Cabrera is an international artist featuring in TRAIL, with his giant snails in front of Shaldon's Ness House.

Bishopsteignton Outdoor Art Group is another of the 30 groups and artists with work on show.

Its creation Genetic Twist stands on Teignmouth's promenade.

It represents mutating DNA but also provokes thoughts on the similarities between human DNA and compact discs, and what would happen if DNA started evolving itself.

The sculpture is made from 6,000 recycled CDs, discarded toys, reclaimed plastic piping, wire, redundant greenhouse framework and other re-used bits and bobs.

Last year, the group's five teepees made from old hubcaps found on the roadside locally were such a hit that they were later sold to the Eden Project in Cornwall.

This year the group decided to embark on a project that would be little easier to manage, and came up with the idea of creating the DNA Double Helix structure from old compact discs.

Spokesman Gill Greatorex said: "We didn't want to do anything too big, or that would take up too much time.

"Suddenly it dawned on me how gorgeous CDs were: they are small, in abundance and wonderfully twinkly.

"Like our own DNA, they store lots of information. The idea for Genetic Twist grew from there. We popped a notice up asking people to donate CDs and suddenly had thousands.

"We did a lot of research about DNA — so much that I reckon we could hold our own in any debate with Richard Dawkins — and set about constructing the Double Helix."

The thought-provoking piece was largely constructed onsite, and has already created quite a stir.

Gill said: "I've watched people who have walked past it and their reactions are so different.

"Some walk past, read the info board and then go back and take another look. It's getting people to look at it on a range of different levels.

"Yet again TRAIL has many superb pieces of art involved in the TRAIL and we are proud to be a part of that. It just gets better and better each year."

Check out www.trail.org.uk for details of all the recycled art trail in Teignmouth, Dawlish and Shaldon this summer.