The wheelie bin worth thousands of pounds

One is a specially commissioned South Bank festive exhibit worth thousands, the other was assembled at B&Q in less than an hour for £59.

The original, Festival, is the creation of Scottish sculptor David Batchelor who was commissioned by the Hayward Gallery to create the piece from the detritus of the Royal Festival Hall's £91 million facelift.

The wheelie bin, containing discarded bits of metal, cable, construction rubble and glowing neon lights, is the centrepiece of the South Bank's seasonal art project. Images of it are to be used on Christmas cards sent to the Hayward's patrons.

Brushing aside claims that the installation is literally a load of old rubbish, the Standard decided to find out if it could be copied by amateurs with the help of staff at the B&Q store in Chiswick.

Steve Jones, 52, more accustomed to advising on plant pots and mesh netting, said: "I can see there's some skill in what he's done but given a bit longer I think we could have done a much better job."

Shopper John Gill, 62, a freight broker, was less impressed with the concept. He said: "I think it proves a point about modern art. You could go and see that on a rubbish tip. I certainly wouldn't go to the South Bank to see it. I actually prefer the copy."

The South Bank will also be illuminated with festoons of 500 lights each in a recycled plastic bottle.