The Preston Market Valentines artwork that will get your heart racing

The 3D structure at Preston Market has a pulsing beam of light which illuminates, forming the shape of a heart.

A spokesman for Heartbeat said: “From one angle Heartbeat is an animated 3D heartbeat pulsing through the sculpture.

“From another angle, the lights join to form a heart.

“For the heart to appear spectators are encouraged to make a connection of love, or friendship, by joining hands in front of the sculpture - human touch reveals the heart.

“Once the connection is lost the heart is broken into fragments again.”

As organisers turned the lights on for the large scale pulsing heart art installation, a spokesman at Preston Market said: “Heartbeat is now live at Preston Markets.

“Join your hands at the front of the structure to reveal the heart.

“Pop down to see it until Sunday, February 16.”

Coun Peter Kelly, cabinet member for culture and leisure services at Preston Council, said: “It’s a contemporary piece of art. If you stand in front of it you can see the heart but if you stand to the side you can’t. If you hold hands with someone you are more likely to see the heart.

“It’s part of a programme to test out quality installations that we know have been used in other cities.

“We put it up over the weekend and it survived Storm Ciara which is really good.

“It compliments what we are doing at the Harris for Valentine’s Day as well.

“We’re hosting cream teas at both the Harris and The Pavilion Cafe in Avenham Park on Friday between 12pm and 2pm. And there’s a night of music and prosecco which has sold out that night at the Harris.”