Artist hopes to sculpt out place for history with railing figures

Hull Fair, the city's maritime history, its markets and sporting heroes were inspirations for artist Martin Heron who has created figurines that are perched on top of new railings running down the length of Anlaby Road.

Until the early 19th century, Anlaby Road remained a largely rural turnpike road, but the building of the docks, north of the town and west along the banks of the Humber, saw the population increase.

Developers snapped up open fields to create vast areas of housing, as well as factories, mills and brickyards.

Flowery phrases, picked out of Victorian newspaper articles, are going up on the walls in stainless steel lettering. One reads: "A road shall be created from which Zephyrs come in Spring."

The work has been paid for by the urban regeneration body Gateway, as part of a scheme to integrate artworks into regeneration sites across Newington St Andrew's.

Mr Heron said the work had been well received: "The response we've had so far has been very positive. People are seeing the history of where they live in a different way."

Famous Hull aviator Amy Johnson's solo flight from London to Darwin, Australia, is the theme of work by Chris Tipping, who is working on the Amy Johnson development site on Hawthorn Avenue.

On Hessle Road, meanwhile, people have been taking part in a photography competition to have their images converted into 3-D metal lamp post banners, which reflect the history of the famous thoroughfare.