ORGANISERS of the Artists Against Desalination exhibition held at Par say they are absolutely delighted by the success of the event.

Supported by around 20 local artists and international landscape painter Tony Foster, the exhibition attracted more than 200 visitors and raised thousands of pounds for the Desalination Information Group (DIG) campaign against South West Water’s proposed desalination plant in St Austell Bay.

Tony Foster attended the exhibition at Gott Hall, before flying to the Galapagos Islands on a painting expedition. His signed and numbered limited edition print Dive 106 Vilamendhoo was a key attraction for visitors, with many copies sold.

Tony said: “I believe the desalination project will be highly destructive of the bay’s fragile marine environment containing rare maerl beds and extensive seagrass… and damage our beautiful Cornish landscape.”

Deborah Hazeldean, of DIG, said: “We simply do not believe desalination is the answer to water security in Cornwall, the second wettest county in the UK.”