Northamptonshire church festival includes graphic anti-HS2 'installation' among beautiful floral displays

A collection of beautiful floral displays at a popular church festival in Northamptonshire were spectacularly upstaged by an installation showing the damaged caused by HS2.

Chipping Warden has undergone many months of disruption as the controversial high-speed railway line is being built yards from its historic homes.

Roads have been closed and a by-pass built. Residents say they have suffered constant disturbance to their normal life.

However last weekend, the Arts Festival at St Peter's and St Paul's Church gave voice to the unhappiness of villagers about HS2, when one of the displays was designed to express their discontent with the rail company and the inconvenience around the construction project.

"The HS2 display attracted considerable attention," said commentator Rosy Burke.

"This depicted the state of the countryside once taken over by the HS2.

"Instead of our green and pleasant land that we all love and cherish most dearly, a habitat to all creatures great and small, it was shown as a wasteland full of discarded rubbish with a ridiculous amount of unnecessary signage, discarded bollards and non recyclable waste materials.

"Saving the environment for future generations or a ruinous destruction? Alongside displays of such beauty the horrendous truth was obvious."

HS2 has been approached for a comment.