A spectacular art installation to be hung inside one of England's oldest cathedrals has been postponed.

The illuminated sculpture of planet Earth, entitled Gaia, was meant to be arriving at Rochester Cathedral in February but has now been pushed back until May.

A cathedral spokesman said: "After careful consideration we have made the difficult decision to postpone the display of Luke Jerram’s Gaia this February.

"We felt we could not do this incredible spectacle justice and keep everyone safe at this time.

"We will release more information about events and tickets over the next few weeks."

The seven-metre wide globe was created by visual artist Luke Jerram and has captivated audiences around the world including Taiwan and Hong Kong.

It uses detailed NASA imagery of the Earth’s surface to provide spectators with a unique perspective of our own planet floating in three dimensions.

The artwork aims to put visitors in the shoes of an astronaut and provoke wider thought about the planet's place in the universe.

A specially made surround sound composition by BAFTA-award winning composer Dan Jones will also be played alongside.

It follows the artist's groundbreaking lunar spectacle, the Museum of the Moon, which was shown at the cathedral in 2020 and the success of sell-out light show, Space Voyage, by Luxmuralis inside the cathedral last year.

The exhibit forms part of a new programme of events focussing on climate change and the Church of England’s intention to be net carbon zero by 2030.

The church says one of its missions is "to strive to safeguard the integrity of creation and sustain and renew the life of the earth".

As part of the exhibition, visitors will also be encouraged to think about how we can all play a part in fighting climate change and help protect the planet’s fragile ecosystems.

The touring exhibition, Gaia, which in Greek Mythology is the personification of the Earth, will instead be shown from May 24 until June 12.

Anyone interested in visiting is encouraged to follow Rochester Cathedral on social media or visit their website to keep up to date with announcements.