The school pupils whose art will be made into "the size of 2 double-decker buses" at Scarborough Castle !

In a surprise announcement today, the winner of The Big Picture competition to create a design for land art to celebrate the Tour de Yorkshire in the Borough of Scarborough was revealed.
Libby Graham and the other pupils at Wykeham School at the Tour de Yorkshire land art reveal. Picture: Richard PonterLibby Graham and the other pupils at Wykeham School at the Tour de Yorkshire land art reveal. Picture: Richard Ponter
Libby Graham and the other pupils at Wykeham School at the Tour de Yorkshire land art reveal. Picture: Richard Ponter

Libby Graham, aged 9, was thrilled to find out that her design has been chosen to create the central section of a giant piece of land art, The Big Picture.

It will be installed in the grounds of Scarborough Castle for Stage Three of the Tour de Yorkshire and Stage Two of the Asda Women’s Tour de Yorkshire on Saturday 4 May.

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The winner’s announcement, which was a complete surprise to Libby, was made at Wykeham Church of England Primary School, which she attends, in front of fellow pupils and teachers, who were the first group of people to see the design in its giant land art form, measuring more than nine metres by nine metres.

Lee Threadgold and Dawn Dyson-Threadgold join design winner Libby Graham  at Wykeham School for the Tour de Yorkshire land art revea. Picture: Richard PonterLee Threadgold and Dawn Dyson-Threadgold join design winner Libby Graham  at Wykeham School for the Tour de Yorkshire land art revea. Picture: Richard Ponter
Lee Threadgold and Dawn Dyson-Threadgold join design winner Libby Graham at Wykeham School for the Tour de Yorkshire land art revea. Picture: Richard Ponter

School children who entered the competition were asked to draw a design based on a theme of ‘Riding your Bike’ or ‘The Bicycle Race’.

The central section of the land art, created using the winning design, will be surrounded by eight further designs, each measuring one square metre, designed by children who are runners up in the competition.

When all the sections are joined together, the finished land art will be the size of two double decker buses.

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The final display location of The Big Picture on the castle headland in Scarborough is a prime spot for aerial television shots of the Tour de Yorkshire, which offers a fantastic opportunity for the land art to be seen by millions of people around the world watching the race on television.

*The first of the competition runners up, 9 year-old Noah Temple from Brompton and Sawdon Community Primary School, also found out today that his design has been chosen to form part of The Big Picture during a presentation at Brompton Village Hall.

The competition and creation of the land art is being managed and produced by Animated Objects Theatre Company for Scarborough Borough Council, which has funded the initiative as part of its Tour de Yorkshire themed community engagement programme.

The company received more than 600 entries into the competition by children aged 7 to 11 from 25 schools across the Borough of Scarborough, which was a fantastic response and made judging a tricky task.

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Lee Threadgold and Dawn Dyson-Threadgold, from Animated Objects Theatre Company, said: “We are delighted to have the ideas of young people at the heart of this year’s land art design.

"The standard of entries was very high and it wasn’t an easy decision selecting which ones to feature in the land art. It shows the level of interest children and families have in high profile sporting events of this kind that visit the borough. Well done to all who entered the competition and huge congratulations to our winner and runners up!”

Janet Deacon, Scarborough Borough Council Tourism and Corporate Marketing Manager and Welcome to Yorkshire Area Director, said: “The competition has been a wonderful way of involving some of the youngest members of our communities in the passion and enthusiasm our borough has for the Tour de Yorkshire.

"I am delighted for the winner and all the runners up and, like them, I can’t wait to see the final giant land art take pride of place in the grounds of Scarborough Castle and be part of our Tour de Yorkshire celebrations.”

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Seven more surprise runners up announcements will be made in the next two weeks.

The land art will also embark on a towns’ tour ahead of the Tour de Yorkshire. The dates, times and locations of the tour, where people will be able to see the giant land art up close, will be announced next month.