THE return of a three-night festival of art displays across Poole has been heralded as a huge success.

Light Up Poole brought talented designers and engineers from all over the world to the area to show off a series of stunning and intricate installations.

The event, which was sponsored by Poole BID and funded by Arts Council England, ran from Thursday to Saturday and proved to be extremely popular with visitors.

It also welcomed three world premieres and a European debut from the artists.

French engineers MinuitUne teamed up with Poole-based Wolf Lighting to illuminate the dockside cranes and create Harbour Glow, a striking new work by light designers James Smith and Audacious.

While the Horizon display by artists Ross Ashton and Karen Monid, on the outside of St James’s Church drew big crowds, with various images from 13th century English polymath Robert Grosseteste and 21st century imagery from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Poole Town councillor and Poole BID board member Andy Garner-Watts said businesses had told him their footfall had increased sharply from the festival.

“It was a great event for the town and very well attended, including a lot of people from outside Poole,” said Cllr Garner-Watts.

“I’ve spoken to the businesses in and around the quay and they said footfall was brilliant, profits were up and that is what the BID is there for.

“The first Light Up Poole last year was a big success and we increased the size by around 50 per cent for this year’s event.

“It has been so successful again and I think it will just keep getting bigger.

“It has become an event people put in their diaries.”

Light Up Poole also provided an opportunity for students from Bournemouth and Southampton universities, Arts University Bournemouth and Poole schools to showcase their work.

A series of displays were also held in Poole Museum and inside St James’s Church.

“We are really trying to promote what is on offer in the museum quarter area,” Cllr Garner-Watts added.

“There are some fantastic businesses in that area, who are working really hard to bring people into the older part of Poole.”