HUNDREDS of people came together to light up the night sky around Southend as part of an ambitious art project.

About 1,000 volunteers armed with torches formed a circle with an eight-and-a-half-mile circumference encompassing land and sea and stretching around Westcliff and the pier.

Specially positioned, they shone their lights into the sky between 7.45pm and 8pm on Saturday evening just as dusk fell, so the moment could be recorded by film and photograph from above.

Full story and pictures in your Echo on Monday