THIS striking sculpture tells the story of a remarkable rescue after a ship foundered on the rocks close to La Corbiere lighthouse, which stands guard on the most south westerly coast of Jersey.

On the headland overlooking the lighthouse, the helping hand was created by sculptor Derek Tristram and erected as recently as April 1997. You can read the story of what happened on the plaque below.

I happened upon the sculpture during a visit to Jersey in 2017, and loved its powerful simplicity. As a bonus, the views out to sea are spectacular, and I’ve been back since for a second look.

The lighthouse stands on a rock that is, in fact, a tidal island. A causeway links it to the shore at low tide, and there’s an alarm to warn visitors to clear the causeway as the tide rises!

When it was first lit on April 24, 1874, it was the very first lighthouse in the British Isles to be made of concrete. The tower is 19m (62 ft) high and the lamp stands 36m (119 ft) above high water spring tides.

All pictures my own, taken in 2017.