A ROMANTIC illuminated artwork will set hearts racing during this month’s Light Night Leeds.

The striking piece, entitled With Love, will see a giant, bright red love heart take centre stage outside Leeds Town Hall during the spectacular two-night celebration and give visitors the chance to see their heartbeats transformed into a unique love song.

Stepping up to a specially created platform, two participants will have their beats per minute measured, with the results reconfigured and combined to create an individual melody.

Created by French artist Franck Pelletier, With Love brought people together during last year’s iLight event at Marina Bay in Singapore and will be coming to Leeds for the first time on October 10 and 11.

The work will be one of more than 60 artistic creations set to impress expected crowds of up to 80,000 at the annual event, which will take over some of the city’s best-known locations and buildings for the 15th year in a row.

Featuring work by artists from across the world, the event will explore the themes of Mind, Body and Spirit.

Other highlights will include a parade through the city centre which will bring dreams to life on October 10 at 7.30pm.

Parade spectators are being urged to look out for sponsor Vastint UK’s illuminated walking Dream Trees in celebration of Aire Park, the new multi-purpose district soon to transform the South Bank. Dream Trees will also be found walking the streets of Leeds throughout the event, introducing the immersive, multi-sensory ‘Pleasance’ installation that can be explored at the Tetley Brewery site.

Illuminated angels will also alight on Victoria Gardens while a flying violinist will perform in the atrium of the Trinity Leeds shopping centre.

And the Queens Hotel on City Square will be the backdrop for a digital projection entitled The Vision. Each of this year’s pieces will take place in one of 11 zones across the city, each supported by a local business.

Councillor Judith Blake, leader of Leeds City Council, said: “Light Night exemplifies the very best of culture in our city and we’re incredibly proud that Leeds is home to such a world class celebration of creativity and imagination.

“Year after year, Light Night also brings together tens of thousands of people and families, giving them the opportunity to enjoy an unforgettable spectacle and see both modern and historic Leeds from a completely different perspective.”

The festival takes place on October 10 and 11 from 6pm until 11pm.

Visit www.lightnightleeds.co.uk or follow @lightnightleeds on Twitter and Instagram.