Haworth sculptor Craig Dyson has begun work on his artwork containing 10,000 two-pence coins.

And he expects many late nights and weekends working flat out to finish the giant globe in time for the Tour de France.

He has spent the past three months making a special jig – or frame – on which to place the 2p coins as he welds them.

Craig said: “There are six welds on each coin, so there’s more than 60,000 chances for it to go wrong!”

Craig announced earlier this year he planned to create a two-metre diameter sphere out of 2p coins donated by members of the public as a permanent public reminder of the Tour passing through Haworth.

After failing to win a grant from Welcome to Yorkshire for the project, he ran an online appeal to raise the money.

When this, too, fell short of the target, Craig – who works from Railside Studios in Belle Isle Road – decided to go ahead on his own.

“It’s taken almost two months to weld the first 2p on while I made the jig,” added Craig, right.

“It’s incredibly difficult work – I’m staying nights and weekends and getting very little sleep. It’s quite nerve wracking, but I’ve bought into this thing, so I’m determined to make it!”