THREE pieces of public art shortlisted to be displayed in the town have prompted strong opinions.

Developers have donated £60,000 to spend on the chosen artwork, which will be sited at the entrance to Grosvenor Park.

Tunbridge Wells Borough Council is now urging the public to pick a favourite piece by the end of March.

Paul Lambert, chairman of the Friends of Grosvenor and Hilbert Park, but giving his personal view, welcomed art in the park, but said none of the three options – a sandstone vase, a water tower and a staircase – were good enough.

He said: "I don't think they fit. Our park is a pleasant environment.

"People take their kids or their dogs and walk around.

"It's not Sheffield city centre and these three are the sort of thing you will find outside a council office that is trying to be ultra modern and arty farty with it."

Mr Lambert said the sculpture by Richard Perry was a "great big monolith that aliens might come out of" and the water vessel would create a game for vandals who would toss items into the top to "see if they fall out of the bottom".

The staircase by We Made That would end up covered in graffiti, he warned.

He said the money might be better spent on refurbishing Grosvenor Bowls Club.

Elsewhere, Mr Perry's 3.5m vertical statue was described as a "giant phallus" by a woman on Tunbridge Wells blog Anke.

Anke creator Christopher Cassidy gave the steps "0 out of 10".

He said: "It looks on first appearances like a building has been demolished leaving the empty staircase, which has then been graffitied."

Tony Stallard, the creator of Vessel, said he "missed the mark on getting the feel of Tunbridge Wells in an art piece" because it drew from Greek designs.

To comment on the proposals, visit www.tunbridgewells.gov.uk