Sand, glorious sand – and not on the beach but in a shopping centre near you.

Shoppers at the Dolphin Centre in Poole were delighted when they encountered an artistic sand sculpture as they wandered along the mall and, even better, there was a workshop where youngsters could have a go.

Sand sculptors Paul Hoggard and Remy Geerts spent two days creating a fabulous mermaid entwined around the Dolphin Centre logo from 15 tonnes of builders’ sand.

“It’s fantastic,” said Dot Cornish, 70, from Parkstone, “They must be really dedicated to do that.”

Her friend Catherine Whittingham, 68, said: “I think it’s brilliant. I have never seen anything like that.”

Paul, who travels worldwide with wife Remy and can be paid £10,000 for a corporate sculpture said: “The art is in the artist, sand is simply the medium. But it is something anyone can do on the beach.”

Youngsters Jessica and Amelia Starkey, both eight, from Pimperne loved having a go as did Emma Grant, aged three, from Canford Heath , whose verdict was “great fun”.

Wilfred Sargeant, four, from Upton wanted to create a train, while brother and sister Brynmor Truman, four, and Bethan, six, from Blandford let their artistic sides out.

“With our close proximity to the sea it seemed fitting to invite renowned sand artists to the centre to craft a 15 tonne sculpture in front of the eyes of shoppers,” said Dolphin Centre manager John Grinnell.

And the sculpture outside Boots will stay in the centre for a further three weeks.