A large piece of driftwood that washed up on Sidmouth beach is to be carved into a public seat by a local artist.
Samantha Wakefield hopes to place her wooden seat near the sea, as a place 'for passers-by to sit and breathe in the sea air, and feel connected'.
She spotted the driftwood on the beach and, unable to move it herself, asked Bruce Smith of Sid Valley Tree Surgery to help.
On Friday, February 7, Bruce's father Colin Gilbert and their manager, Matt Williams, took a tractor and forestry trailer, with a crane, to the edge of the beach.
They manoeuvred the driftwood close enough for the crane to pick it up, and drove it to Samantha's home in Sidford.
Mr Smith said: "It's a lovely piece of wood. It's the base of a tree and the roots have worn off. It could have come from anywhere in the world. It's an unusual find."
Ms Wakefield said: "Bruce is the star of the show, as without him I would not have this precious piece of nature in my hands, that has made me feel alive and excited again."
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