Weymouth’s Giant Olympic Sandcastle Demolished amid Health and Safety Fears

Added: 20 Apr 2012 09:52 - Health and Safety Industry

An enormous sandcastle constructed in Weymouth to mark one hundred days before the start of the Olympic Games was destroyed just hours after completion due to health and safety legislation.

The castle, which was constructed in the town of Weymouth where Olympic boat races will be held, stood around fifteen feet tall and featured two turrets and the Olympic Logo.

The castle is believed to have cost around £5000 to build and artist Mark Anderson was assisted by a team of helpers in order to complete the construction.

Local residents have expressed their surprise that the castle was bulldozed so quickly, but a spokesperson for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council explained that the height of the structure meant that there was a risk it could collapse and injure a member of the public.

Although fencing off the structure was considered at the design stages, it was deemed too expensive as security guards would have needed to be employed to ensure members of the public did not climb onto the castle.

The spokesperson went on to explain that the structure was never intended to remain on the beach for more than a day and was intended only to provide an ‘iconic photo image’ to publicise the Olympic sailing events which will take place in the area. Pictures of the castle have generated media interest from across the globe and helped showcase the area to the rest of the world.

£5000 Olympic Castle Demolished after One Day

Residents and local tax payers have questioned whether the £5000 cost of the castle was justified as it remained on the beach for such a short space of time. However, Weymouth and Portland council’s spokesperson contested that the value of the media coverage that the castle has generated far outweighs the costs of construction and the subsequent photo shoot.

The beach at Weymouth will be transformed into ‘Weymouth and Portland Live’ during the games and fifteen thousand visitors are expected to attend each day.