Pictures & video: Rags to bridges at world famous Iron Bridge

An army of volunteers helped artist Faye Claridge to transform Ironbridge's famous Iron Bridge with coloured strips of fabric hung from the side of the historic structure.

The artwork, called 'Weighty Friend', is part of Ms Claridge's 'Shifting Worlds' residency - a contemporary arts programme produced by the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust and Meadow Arts, supported by Arts Council England.

The installation lasted for around an hour on Saturday morning as the strips were unfurled by volunteers first on one side of the bridge, then the other, while onlookers captured images on cameras and mobile phones.

It was a particularly rare sight as special permission had to be sought from English Heritage to attach anything to the bridge.

Ms Claridge explained that the artwork had been designed as a portrait of the family of Abraham Darby, who provided one of the landmark developments of the Industrial Revolution when he used coke, not coal to produce iron at the Coalbrookdale Furnace.

Mr Darby was later responsible for the construction of the Iron Bridge - the first of its kind in the world.

He was also a Quaker - a religion which believed portraits were immodest. Unusually for the era the women of the Darby family also played a large role in the development of the company.

Both were elements Ms Claridge said she was looking to represent with the artwork.

She said: "The idea is it is a portrait of Darby disguised in a tattercoat - like border Morris Dancers wore as a disguise. We have disguised the bridge in a big colourful tattercoat.

"The Quakers believed portraits were immodest and that people should be remembered for their deeds not their appearance.

She added: "We very deliberately chose the reds, oranges and yellows of the furnace, and then the more stereotypical women's colours to represent their involvement in the industrial revolution.

Ms Claridge said she had been thrilled with the outcome, the involvement of volunteers, and those with links to the Darby family.

She said: "I am relieved. It has been many months in the planning, getting permission to do anything on the Ironbridge is tricky, understandably because it is very, very precious.

"It has been amazing. We have got people from Aga, who work in the present day foundry, present day Quakers who still meet in the first room Abraham Darby had a meeting in, so there this direct link with the legacy."

She added: "Even though it is a really significant site it is not shocking any more. I wanted people to do a double take when they walked past. When it was originally build it would be mind-blowing for people who had never seen anything like that so I wanted to make it shocking again."

Paul Gossage, director of marketing and PR at the Ironbridge Gorge Museum Trust said they were thrilled with the result of the work.

He said: "It looks truly spectacular and absolutely exceeds out initial vision of how it would appear when we first discussed the idea with Faye. She explained the concept and while you have an initial thought and vision I do not think you can be anything but awestruck by the beauty of what you see today.

"It is also great to see the local community coming together to be part of this."