Geograph - photograph every grid square

The landmark 'Sea Swallow' sculpture arrived on Cleveleys promenade on 19 June 2012. Link

The coated aluminium sculpture has the feel of a book that is coming to life, with the two sea swallows symbolic of the town's protectors emerging from the page. Link

The 30' tall column is topped off by the trademark 'Sea Swallows', bringing the book for Cleveleys to life on the promenade, along with the opening paragraph of text which is carved into the plinth. The Sea Swallow is a childrens story book for the Wyre coastline by Gareth Thompson. It tells the tale of petrified forests and sunken villages and the Sea Swallows that fly over the coast. The story is brought to life through a public art trail that winds from the first piece, which is the Sea Swallow at the plaza at Cleveleys, all the way along the Wyre seafront to Fleetwood - told with a series of pieces of artwork. The designs, hand carved in China, copy maquettes created by Stephen Broadbent. The text carvings quote the prelude to the book and the very last sentence - which was the inspiration for the sculpture. The birds are based on Hannah Megee's illustrations in the book.

The requirement to improve the coast defences at Cleveleys resulted from the Wyre Flood and Coastal Defence Strategy Plan which detailed a 50 year programme of works. Work started in 2005.

The seafront project had two aims. The first was to replace ageing sea defences with new structures which will remain effective for at least 50 years. The second was to give the Promenade a 21st century look.

The first new line of defence against the sea is a barrier of step-shaped concrete blocks called a revetment. It contains 3,600 individual units made from concrete mixed to a special formula and cast at the Hillhouse industrial site in Thornton and transported to the scene by road. Behind that is a new middle and rear wall, also made in concrete sections at Hillhouse.

The new promenade is twice as wide as it once was with very modern lighting, seats and shelters – they even have heated seats. Blue glass is used in the floor covering and replicated in other parts of the Promenade. Some of the concrete carries a wave pattern design which is replicated in the soil beds that line the roadway side of the promenade. They are home to a variety of shrubs and plants and to grass which has been cultivated on mats to fit into the area.

Completed early in 2008 it includes a large and elegant public piazza at the top of Victoria Road.