SANDS OF TIME: Sculptors shift the sands in Bognor Regis

A reduced entry list of just ten took part in this year’s competition for Sands of Time.

Those who decided to ignore the elements had to battle against 22mph west-south-west winds and a chilly temperature which added to the gloom caused by an overcast sky with occasional spots of rain.

The conditions on Sunday afternoon failed to deter them from making a range of designs along the time travel theme to delight the three judges.

One of them, the town’s mayor Jim Brooks, congratulated everyone for making the best of the situation.

“We really did have a tough time choosing the winners. I wish we could give prizes to everyone,” he said.

The winners of the family category were frequent entrants Steve, Lorna and Holly Wilkins.

They created an armchair rocket about two feet high for their £100 prize.

Mr Wilkins said: We’ve entered for the past three years but this is the first time we’ve won.

“It was cold and very windy down on the beach. It was windy last year, but it was nowhere near as bad as this.

“We were there for about an hour-and-a-half making our design. We were going to make a sculpture of a man sitting in an armchair until we realised the theme of the competition so we did a quick rethink and stuck a couple of rockets on the back of the chair.

“It’s good family fun making the designs. We come from Pinner in Middlesex and have a holiday place at Bracklesham Bay.

“So, we spend a lot of time as a family on the beach and we’ve made quite a few sandcastles.”

The children’s section was won by Lucy Court and Monica Hetherington.

It was the third win for Monica, 13, and the second for 12-year-old Lucy.

They won £60 by creating a very large Tardis.

Bognor resident Lucy said: “I came up with the idea for a Tardis and we went from there.”

Monica, of Aldwick, said: “The way to win is to do something which no-one else does. You have to guess what you think everyone else might be thinking and do something different.

“We were on the phone at 8.30am today brainstorming ideas.

“We will be back again next year to defend our title.”

She intended to spend her share of the prize on a half-term visit to see the musical Wicked! in London’s West End.

Lucy’s prize will accompany her on a shopping trip.

The full list of winners is:

Family:

1 Steve, Lorna and Holly Wilkins (Armchair rocket), 2 Adrian Rayson, Dave Mayhew, Bloss Morris, Jess Morris, Carla Riding, Ben Riding and Milo Tihe (Click – large remote control), 3 Darren, Sarah, Rosie and Jessica Johnston (HMS Invincible).

Children:

1 Lucy Court and Monica Hetherington (Very large Tardis), 2 Abbie Penegar, Tom Penegar, Abel Gibson and Wesley Paul (Tardis, Dr Who), 3 Hannah Roberts (submarine).