Artist creates 150ft sketch of a giant surfer on sand using a garden rake

A beach artist spent six painstaking hours creating a 150ft drawing of a surfer – using a garden RAKE.

Claire Eason’s huge sand sketch of a sea-lover was only visible for a few hours before being washed away on the tide.

The retired GP recruited dozens of volunteers to help her create the eye-catching figure on Beadnell Bay in Northumberland.

Claire, 55, who took up art after hanging up her stethoscope last October, said: “The area has a lot of water sports all year round and there are several surf schools.

“It always amazes me how hardy these people are, they go out in the winter and go after the biggest waves.

“I thought it would be nice to do something to acknowledge the water sports there.

“Surfing is something I like because it is non-destructive to the environment and I like promoting an activity that has an ecological feel to it.”

Incredibly Claire designed the picture as she went along, checking her progress using a drone camera hovering above her last Saturday (22/2).

She added: “I had to wait until the tide had reached its peak and it was on the way out to leave fine, damp sand.

“I had a tiny weather window due to the storms so I had to watch the forecast and go when it isn’t too windy and there was no rain as the drone wouldn’t fly well.

“You have to make sure the tide is going out at the right time too.

“Some kind volunteers helped me mark out the area I used and I got to it with my trusty garden rake.”