BUDDING authors, photographers and treasure hunters of all ages should head to the beach this weekend for a day of inspiration.

The first ever Looe Marine Eco Arts Day on Sunday (April 8) will see award winning photographer Lisa Woollett, illustrator Sarah McCarthy and author Biddy Lloyd join forces with the Looe Marine Conservation Group (LMCG).

Starting at 10am on Hannafore Beach (meet at the Hannafore Point Hotel), photographer Lisa Woollett and illustrator Sarah McCarthy will be beachcombing - and showing people how to take the best images of their finds. Lisa and Sarah’s forthcoming book Treasures of the Sea will be published in May.

Then at 1pm, author Biddy Lloyd will be leading a storyboarding workshop at the Hannafore Point Hotel. Biddy’s book for children, ‘I have a rock’, explores her home village of Downderry through the eyes of a dog. During the workshop the author will guide participants through storyboarding their own ideas for a children’s book.

Both workshops are free and are open to all ages, although under 16s must be accompanied by an adult.

The Eco Arts Day will culminate with a screening of the stunning documentary Fish People at the Hannafore Point Hotel.

The film tells the story of a diverse cast of characters, all of whom have dedicated their lives to the sea. From surfers and spearfishers to a long distance swimmer, a former coal miner and a group of at-risk kids on the streets of San Francisco, all have experienced the transformative effect of time spent in the ocean.

The idea behind the Eco Arts Day is to encourage creativity while highlighting an important message on protecting the marine environment, said organiser and LMCG member Sue Pybus.

‘I wanted to try a new way of engaging with locals and visitors to Looe about the ocean pollution crisis,’ said Sue.

‘We have many talented local artists here in South East Cornwall for whom the sea is their inspiration. Given the recent surge in public awareness of ocean pollution, I hope the day will inspire those who attend, and help spread the message about the need for change to protect our marine environment.’

All funds raised during the event will be donated to the Cornwall Seal Group Research Trust. The group is a conservation charity and uses evidence from research carried out by citizen scientists all over Cornwall to protect globally rare species of seals found around the county’s coastline. The group’s pioneering photo identification research began in 2000, and has built up a big picture about seals move around the coastal habitat.

For more information about the Eco Arts Day visit www.looemarineconservation.org or look for Looe Marine Conservation Group on Facebook.