Ice sculptures pop up at the Eye

A father-and-son team of sculptors is helping to create a spectacular frozen work of art which will go on show next to the London Eye over the next four weeks.

Duncan and Jamie Hamilton are working on a spectacular five-tonne (5,200kg) work, seven-and-a-half metres wide and more than two metres tall, which will be made up of three ice walls, lined up one in front of the other to look like a huge pop-up book.

The front wall will show a ballerina in a classic pose. Behind will be another ballerina along with images of the Eye and Tower Bridge, with the London skyline, including St Paul's and Big Ben, at the back. It is hoped the sculptures will melt away completely every few days.

In total five identical works will be put up, each made up of 65 blocks. The last will appear on Friday 28 December. Robin Boon, owner of Iceworks, the company responsible for the back two walls, said his part of the sculpting had been done by machine, unlike the front wall, carved by the Hamiltons.

Mr Boon added: "Hopefully all the ice will have melted away by the time we go to put the next one up. If not we will just have to move it."