ARTIST Ian Randall finally brought his sculptures to town yesterday with a promise they would "bring the feel-good factor back to Blackburn".

Ian was on hand to oversee the installation of three of his five "Transition" pieces, which symbolise the growth of Blackburn as a town built on the cotton industry.

The £240,000 sculptures -- commissioned by Blackburn with Darwen Council with the help of European grant money -- each depict a different stage in the life of a blooming cotton plant.

When fully installed and switched on, the sculptures -- the centrepiece of the Church Street regeneration scheme -- will burst into life with water features and fibre optic lights.

They are designed to "help create and accentuate a different atmosphere in the street at different times of day."

But the initial plans were thrown into turmoil when engineers realised a problem -- the cables were too short.

The installation of the first piece -- entitled "Boll" -- had to be scrapped yesterday with only one of the three sculptures actually put in place.

"Mercer" was finally erected late yesterday afternoon, five hours after workmen arrived.

Council bosses put the delay down to "technical problems" and said more fibre optic cable had to be brought in for "Boll" and "Gin".

They are due to be installed over the next few days.

Ian, from Selby, North Yorkshire, said he was ready for any criticism levelled at him and the pieces but he hoped people would see the good in them.

He said: "These are like parks, or trees or having plants in your garden.

"They improve the environment and give a sense of well-being and makes us feel good. We don't know why. They just do."

Graham Burgess, executive director at Blackburn with Darwen Council, said: "There were some minor technical problems that have slightly delayed the process and some new optical fibre has had to be brought for the other two installations. The work to install the other two installations will take place over the next couple of days."

Artist Ian, who also designed "Remnant Kings" on the Irwell Valley Sculpture Trail, in Rawtenstall, said he was just relieved to have reached this stage.

A series of setbacks have seen the installation date postponed several times. Delays put Ian's schedule back and the consequence of working 12 hours a day, seven days a week to catch up has been a back injury.

Ian said he used the idea of a cotton plant to symbolise Blackburn's growth as it was vital in shaping the town's fortunes, from an old market town through to today, and its future hopes of one day becoming a city.

Each piece stands between 1.5 metres and five metres high. They are constructed from bronze, stainless steel and stone.