Giant shipwreck washes up outside City Hall

Pupils from 100 London schools made a joint effort to create a giant shipwreck sculpture which will be the centrepiece of a part of the Mayor's Thames Festival this September.

The installation will form the centrepiece of The Environmental Zone at the festival, and is aimed at encouraging London school children to think about and connect with the River Thames.

Over 3,000 children between the ages of 8 and 10 studied the history and geography of the river and experimented with different artistic ways of bringing the shipwreck to the banks of the Thames.

Artists Becci Kenning, Zach Walker and Ian Pilditch led the project throughout the summer term and will be installing the wreck on 5 September to mark the start of the Mayor's Thames Festival celebrations.

The Thames Festival takes place on 10 and 11 September and features artists, performers, musicians and installations.

Becci Kenning, Artist, Art in Transit, said:

"The workshops really helped the children engage with the River Thames, and the project as a whole connected children from across London.