An eye-catching art installation popped up on the side of Cumbrian fell, signalling the arrival of this year's Lakes Alive festival.

Nine metres high, the bright red castle gave art lovers a sneak peak of what to expect when the event kicks off on Friday.

Situated on Latrigg Fell, overlooking Keswick, the vibrant installation could be spotted from miles around.

It provided a talking point for walkers, fell runners and mountain bikers as they passed along the popular route.

In place for just one day, the installation will now move to Kendal for the weekend-long Lakes Alive festival, which offers a weekend of spectacular happenings across Lake District national park.

This particular piece is the work of acclaimed artist Steve Messam, who is well known to art lovers across Cumbria.

The project, Keep, will make its grand entrance at the contemporary arts festival on Saturday and Sunday. The bright red tower aims to create a dramatic presence in Kendal, overlooking the existing Kendal Castle on the other side of the river.

As part of efforts to bring art to all parts of the Lake District, the installation took up home on Latrigg before moving on.

Lakes Alive is a free arts festival, appealing to all ages.

It is also a celebration of World Heritage Site Status for the Lake District National Park.

Steve Messam has created 18 large scale installations in the Lake District over the last 10 years.

They include filling a beach with thousands of sandcastles and paper flags, a giant raindrop the size of a three storey building and a walk-in kaleidoscope on the shores of Windermere.

People will also remember his 2015 PaperBridge creation which stretched across a stream in Patterdale.

Steve, from Country Durham, said: “I’m interested in the English tradition of putting a building or folly up on a hill.

"Follies on hills did not originate in the Lakes but the reason people built them elsewhere was a direct result of the way Lakes’ landscapes changed the way we value landscape.

“For Lakes Alive I want to bring something that, like a folly, is visually striking from a distance. I also want people to enjoy it and be part of it.” Lakes Alive kicks off on Friday at 6pm with a giant Jacob’s Join – a unique dining experience alongside the River Kent at Kendal with music, dancing and performances.

For full details, visit www.lakesalive.co.uk .