Have you ever stopped to think about what all that rubbish you throw into your recycling bin might be turned into?

You probably don’t expect it to end up on display in a shopping centre, but two stunning sculptures featuring dozens of recycled materials have been wowing passers-by at Dartford’s Priory Centre.

Dartford Arts Network has hosted community workshops at the centre during the past two Saturdays, with volunteers encouraging people to join in and help create something special.

Chairman Kate Withstandley said: “We have two sculptures on display, one of which is a 3D map showing where plastic bottles discarded in the sea end up.

“Another is a tree made from plastic piping with decorations made of recycled materials. There were workshops on September 10 and September 17 and there were quite a lot of people who came along, so it was quite hectic.”

The map showcases a section of the world and aims to represent how far a plastic bottle can travel from our shores, highlighting how people can reduce the impact on a local level.

Pupils from Dartford Science and Technology College helped in its construction, with layered cardboard used to give the map a 3D aesthetic. It was then decorated with filled recycled vases made from unwanted CD cases.

The plastic piping used to create the tree was donated by Wickes Dartford and many of the decorations were made by workshop visitors.

Kate said: “We are interested in the journey our plastics embark on when we discard them without recycling them.

"As it stands, in certain areas our oceans have more plastic in than zooplankton and it is predicted that if waste continues at the current rate, in 30 years there will be more plastic in the oceans than fish.

“That is a terrifying prospect and one we are eager to highlight to the residents of our town.”

Project Dirt, a nationwide network for environmental and community projects, supported the crafting of the sculptures through a grant scheme funded by Ellandi, the owners of the Priory Centre.

Last year they put out an open call to local organisations to submit a proposal for a community grant and Dartford Arts Network was successful in its bid, dubbed Plastic Fantastic.

The sculptures made their public debut on Monday and Mayor of Dartford Cllr John Burrell joined wife and mayoress Eija in showing his support.

The sculptures are on display in the Priory Centre until Sunday.