Dover Castle has been
sculpted in sand on Scarborough beach to launch a competition being
staged by English Heritage this summer to encourage a revival of
the traditional holiday pastime of building sandcastles.

The organisation fears the
skill of creating castles from sand and water - a favourite beach
activity since holidays at the coast first became popular - is in
danger of becoming a lost art in the techno-savvy 21st
century.

So by combining traditional with digital in a summer Facebook competition, English Heritage is encouraging everyone to head to the beach to build a sandcastle in the shape of one of its 98 castles - and to post a picture of their creation on the competition which has been launched today.

Facebook followers will be
able to vote for their favourite picture, with a weekly child and
adult winner each receiving free family entry to an English
Heritage castle of their choice.

Those seeking to create the perfect sandcastle can download step by step instructions and tips from experts Sand In Your Eye from the English Heritage Facebook page or its website.

When the competition closes
at the end of August, the best junior entry overall will win a
party for themselves and 11 friends at an English Heritage castle,
complete with food, games and party bags. The best adult entry can
enjoy a sleepover at Dover Castle in Kent, Pendennis Castle in
Cornwall or Kenilworth Castle and Elizabethan Garden in
Warwickshire or a castle ghost tour.

"English Heritage cares for
almost 100 castles as part of the National Heritage Collection,"
said Paul Pattison, senior historian for English Heritage who was
very much involved in the transformation of the Great Tower at
Dover Castle.

"Castles played many roles in
our history and are an iconic element in our landscape. Why not
celebrate that with sandcastle building on the nation’s beaches
this summer so that it once more becomes one of the most popular
cost-free activities for all the family."

The competition is free to
enter and as water is a key ingredient of a successful sandcastle,
rain shouldn’t put people off taking part!

Anyone can submit a picture of a sandcastle they have
built this summer on any beach in the world.