TRIBUTES have been paid to an artist whose three years at Bournemouth College of Art would shape his future love of animation and fairytales.

Len Shelley was born in St Leonards-on-Sea, East Sussex on March 2, 1964 and died on October 13, 2010 after a battle with cancer.

He became famous for his sculptures of animals and fish acting real-life scenes, that took a great influence from fairy tales, plays and all things theatrical.

All his works were encased in boxes and lead some observers to suggest that they were like photographs or still lives, rather than sculpture.

After school, from 1986-89, he followed his love of art and studied film and animation at Bournemouth College of Art, which later became the Arts University College at Bournemouth. He was inspired by nature and his love of the natural world and experimented using puppets and stop-motion animation to create short films. After college he set up a workshop and used to take walks along the south coast gathering materials for use in his boxes.

He used driftwood and bird and fish bones he found on the beaches in his works, which gave them an organic feel. His work has been displayed throughout the UK and Europe and his works have become highly prized by collectors.

Len married his partner of seven years, fellow artist Angie Biltcliffe, in a ceremony this summer. She survived him by three weeks after also succumbing to cancer.

He leaves behind two sons, Rufus and Dillon.