WEYMOUTH has two representatives in the World Cup – sand sculpting world cup that is. As the nation gears up for this year’s football World Cup in Brazil, Mark Anderson and David Hicks, co-founders of Sandworld in Weymouth, will head to the World Sand Sculpting Competition in Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA.

The sand-sculpting pair will be up against 20 other sculptors from around the world during the competition which is held from Monday until June 27, with organisers of the competition expecting more than half-a-million spectators at the event.

Mr Anderson said: “I am excited and a little bit apprehensive because it is the largest competition of its type in the world and we will be up against the best sand artists in the world.

“There will be six judges and they all come from different walks of life, they all have different perspectives and what they are looking for in the sculptures so you can never tell who is going to win.

“It’s an interesting couple of weeks away, working with people who are good friends. It’s a busy two weeks of sand sculpting, and we will be doing a ‘George and the Dragon’ sculpture, which is quite British in its flavour.”

Around $75,000 worth of cash prizes are up for grabs at the prestigious event.

Event organiser John Gowdy said: “There will be funny sculptures, emotional sculptures or something relating to the artist’s past — there are so many different ways to convey the artist’s thoughts through sand, and visitors will have the chance to see 20 of the world’s best.”