Caroline Dear, working on the three-tonne sculpture outside flats in Austen Court, Priestley Road, Basingstoke

A NEW sculpture is being constructed in Basingstoke.

Southampton-based stone sculptor Caroline Dear has been working seven days a week on the piece, which is outside a new block of flats.

She first began working on the three-tonne stone outside Austen Court, off Priestley Road, in October last year.

The pyramid-shaped sculpture, which is four feet tall and made from Portland limestone, features four aspects of Basingstoke including references to Jane Austen, the Basingstoke Canal, Basingstoke as a new town and the town crest with a dragon and St Michael.

The sculpture was commissioned by Sentinel Housing Association and Flemming Developments, who jointly established Austen Court.

Mrs Dear said: "I've been on site since last October, and started working when all kinds of machines were buzzing around me, finishing the flats.

"I set up a shelter to try to keep the rain off, but it's been very cold and wet at times."

Before carving the stone, which cost £11,000, Mrs Dear, who also works as a swimming teacher in Salisbury, made scale models of each of the pyramids' four sides out of clay.

"The limestone is full of tiny fossils which sometimes leave small holes in the stone, so two of the sides had to be redrawn," she said.

"This is the first large stone sculpture that I have done, and I'm pleased with how it is turning out.

"It's nice now that some residents have moved into the flats. They seem to really like the sculpture, and have been bringing me out cups of tea which has been great."

9:43am Tuesday 13th May 2008

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