Sculpture to commemorate the Channel Islands' witch trial victims

A sculpture to commemorate Jersey's witch trials in the 16th and 17th centuries has been commissioned.

Between 1560 and 1660, 65 islanders were tried for witchcraft, 33 of which were executed.

The Channel Islands have been described as the 'witch-hunting capital of Europe'.

The sculpture will be created from plaster casts of volunteers' hands, to represent the 65 victims of the trials.

Dr Adam Perchard said: "It's a hand for every person that was there, so that it works as an immediate visual indication of how many people were involved, people like us.

"It's a tree of human hands which in some ways reminds one of the gallows tree, there's an element of the brutal to it but it's also very much an emblem of healing."

During its creation, each volunteer will be told the story of one of the victims which their hand will represent.

"Our Hands" will go on display at Jersey Museum this summer as part of a new exhibition to replace "The Story of Jersey".