During 26^th-29th June, world-renowned 3D pavement artist Julian Beever visited the city and created a huge 3D Olympic torchbearer image to mark the start of the Games and celebrate the torch passing through the city on July 2nd and 3^rd 2012.

He created his latest anamorphic art creation next to the Clock Tower. His drawings are done in perspective which, when finished, create a 3D illusion when seen from a single vantage point.

During the four days Julian was surrounded by visitors eager to meet the artist and numerous passers-by curious to see what he was doing. Many people returned at the beginning and end of each day to see how his work was progressing – keen to see the finished result.

He usually draws directly on to pavements but Leicester City Council, who commissioned the work, supplied Julian with a special plinth inlaid with slabs. This was done so that the final piece could be preserved and then moved to Abbey Park in readiness for the Torch Relay evening event on 2^nd July.

Julian, a former pupil at King Edward VII Upper School, Melton, and also a former art teacher now creates artworks all around the world. He was commissioned by Leicester City Council to mark the journey of the Olympic torch to the city. He has worked all over the world and completed commissions for Coca Cola and Channel 4.

He said: "I've enjoyed doing it and lots of people have been stopping and chatting. The work is pretty close to what I'd planned. For this piece, I got a friend to take photographs of me posing as if I was holding the torch. I then used the photographs of myself to sketch the image. No one will want to see me represented on the work so I will use a more heroic figure, a fitting Olympian-style torchbearer."

Assistant City Mayor, Councillor Piara Singh Clair, said: "This is an honour for the city. Julian Beever is world-renowned and we are very lucky to have him create a special piece to help celebrate the torch arriving in Leicester.

Julian said: "When the council first approached me about the commission I was delighted. I am a lad from Leicestershire, so to be asked to do this is a very big honour for me."

Paul Suter, marketing officer for Leicester City Council, said: "It is great to have an artist such as Julian working here. We hope it will capture everyone's imagination."

A video of the artwork in the making will be shown on the Big Screen, in Humberstone Gate, at regular intervals during the Olympics and will be put on the council's website, and Facebook page.

After he finished his masterpiece, the 77 slabs were then covered in a protective coating and moved, slab by slab, to Abbey Park. This is the first time one of Julian's drawings have been preserved in this way.

His drawings have drawn gasps around the world and now you too can see the legacy Julian created for Leicester, preserved, for what we hope will be years to come in Abbey Park: if you enter from Abbey Park Road entrance, it's on your left-hand-side, just a little way into the park. You won't believe your eyes!

To see more photos, visit: ww.facebook.com/oneleicester