SHADOW secretary of state for culture, media and sport Harriet Harman has officially opened a new community art project during a visit to Wirral.

The Shadow deputy prime minister praised the way the former empty shop in New Ferry had been transformed into a "pop-up" art gallery during her visit on Friday.

It will be the base for New Ferry Butterfly Park-inspired Comma Project.

The gallery's opening was made possible by a grant from Wirral council's Empty Shops Fund.

Mrs Harman, who was invited to attend by South Wirral MP Alison McGovern, said: "I think this is really highlighting how the local community working together with their MP can really make a difference."

The Empty Shops Fund offered financial support to businesses, social enterprises and community groups who wanted to help breathe new life into shopping areas.

Mrs Harman continued: "The empty shops project has enabled what would have otherwise been just a sad, empty space to now become vibrant."

The brainchild of Spital-based artist Carol Ramsey, the Comma Project will feature six artists, one for each month it is scheduled to be open, who will design works highlighting nature or the local environment.

The scheme drew inspiration from the nearby Butterfly Park, an urban nature reserve developed on the site of a former railway goods yard.

Carol told the Globe: "I wrote my masters degree thesis about the Butterfly Park and while I was working on it, I realised how few people knew the park existed.

"It went from me making one piece of artwork for the park to it becoming a two-year project.

"We applied for the funding for the shop from Wirral Council when we decided to try to create more interest in the park."

The project is due to end in September, but Carol is hopeful for the future.

She said: "The shop owner has a potential buyer but says if that falls through we could stay on, provided we raise funds to be able to do so."