A Burnham-On-Sea art student has thanked local residents for donating thousands of drink can ring pulls, helping the completion of a striking final college project made almost entirely from recycled metal.
Phoenyx Strong, who is studying Level 2 Art, appealed earlier this month for help collecting the ring pulls after realising more were needed for an ambitious piece on the theme of distortion.
A collection bin was set up at Burnham’s seafront tourist information centre, and the community quickly rallied round.
Thanks to the help of residents across Burnham-On-Sea and Highbridge, Phoenyx gathered an impressive 3,575 ring pulls — enough to complete a full outfit, including a long‑sleeved top crafted entirely from can tops.
“If it wasn’t for the people of Burnham and Highbridge, I don’t think I would have managed to save enough — I am very grateful,” said Phoenyx.
The finished top forms a key part of the final art project, which explores distortion through texture, repetition and unconventional materials. The intricate garment, made from thousands of interlinked metal pieces, has taken weeks of work to assemble.
Phoenyx’s family says the support from the community has made a huge difference, turning what seemed like an impossible task into a completed artwork in time for the deadline.
They also thanked BiARS, which runs the town’s tourist information centre, for allowing the collection bin to be placed there during the appeal.
