THE final pieces of Dream, the 20m-high elongated white face which sits high above the M62 are being craned into place. Over the past three weeks, the iconic giant structure in St Helens has been slowly transformed into a child’s face.

Each of the 90 pieces of pre-cast concrete has been painstakingly winched into place at a rate of two a day.

Work was temporarily halted during high winds last week, but the top of the head is expected to be in place next week.

The concrete pieces are mixed with a white marble, giving the structure a porcelain shimmer.

Commuters on the M62 have been watching the £1.9m art work take pride of place on the site of the former Sutton Manor Colliery.

Designed by internationally- renowned Spanish artist Jaume Plensa, Dream was created in response to the memories of a group of local ex-miners as part of Channel 4’s The Big Art Project.

Commissioned by St Helens Council, it depicts a girl’s head with her eyes closed in a dream-like state.

The ambitious project will be completed by the end of May, once all the joints have been carefully filled with colour-matching concrete.

Council leader Brian Spencer, himself a former Sutton Manor Colliery worker, said: “It’s an incredible sight witnessing the birth of this amazing new art work.

“It will put St Helens on the map and provide a landmark sense of welcome and arrival for the region as a whole for generations to come.

“This transformation is particularly poignant, given the history of the site itself.”

Situated close to Junction 7 of the M62, Dream is intended as a gateway feature for both Merseyside and Greater Manchester, as well as symbolising the regeneration of St Helens.