WATCHET'S East Quay is on course to pay homage to its former maritime tradition with shipping containers being given a new life as art space.

Three containers will be converted during the autumn to provide much needed studio and exhibition space for Watchet's burgeoning visual arts community, a public meeting place and events venue.

They are heading for the East Quay following a successful campaign led by locally based community interest company, Creatives Club, working in association with the production company Theatre Mélange.

They will be on the land for up to three years, the venture having been approved by West Somerset Council's planning committee.

The development, to be known as Contains Art, will use the containers for artistic studios, galleries and creative space.

The first shipment of two containers is due to arrive in Watchet on Thursday (August 16).

Theatre Mélange will use them to launch the next of its Echo events - an initiative which has already looked at Minehead's past, present and future with the help of local people.

Watchet - Portrait of a Harbour Town will look through the eyes of the people who live there to portray Watchet past, present and future.

Project workers will gather information from local people and organisations, with the resulting film, photographic and verbal responses woven together for a week-long series of events, including live performances, from September 21 to 30.

Project manager Naomi Griffiths said: "This is such an exciting project. It's the culmination of a lot of work with the creative industries in the area and the beginning of an exciting new phase.

"Watchet is really starting to become an 'arts destination' and Contains Art will help to cement this opportunity.

"We have been thrilled at the level of support we have had so far and look forward to working closely with people in Watchet on this project."

The development is funded through the EU's LARC scheme and Somerset County Council's CIDF (Creative Industries Development Fund).