A GROUP of University of South Wales students celebrated the 150th anniversary of the opening of Penarth Docks with a spectacular light display.

Six sites around the marina were transformed by students from the university’s lighting design and technology course.

The Harbour Masters Office, swing bridge and hoist dock were all lit up giving residents and passers by a new and illuminating view of the marina.

The centrepiece of the display was a projection onto buildings surrounding the marina, which charted its history.

Charlie Willing, from Tenby in Pembrokeshire, is in her second year and was one of the students helping to light the marina up.

“We were asked by our lecturer to light up parts of Penarth Marina for its 150th anniversary," he said.

“We got the hoist dock and we turned it into a burning boat using various lighting effects and a smoke machine."

Ollie Jenni, from south west London, said it was a great experience orchestrating the display:

“Getting out and doing stuff like this is great. We do a lot of theory but there is also a much more practical side to the course.

“It allows us to use the sort of equipment that professional lighting directors use and that’s great experience for us.”

Stuart Green is the leader of the Lighting Design and Technology course at USW:

“I’m very proud of our students for their amazing displays to mark 150 years since the opening of Penarth Dock.

“We are big believers in getting out, experimenting, and seeing what happens when you put what we are teaching into practice in the real world.

“We’ve had a lot of interest and positive comments from passers by and I’d like to thank the residents and businesses of Penarth Marina for helping us to make this happen.”