Top prize for church grape vines

A row of grape vines planted as part of an art project in a disused church in north Kent has won a £15,000 award.

The 32 red grape vines were planted by the Chatham Vines project in St John's Church in Chatham and have won the Rouse Kent Public Art Award 2006

Art critic and judge Richard Cork said it was "a powerful poetic symbol of regeneration for a disused church".

The award was created to encourage public art in Kent and is partly funded by the county council.

Other sponsors include Arts Council England and Liberty Property Trust UK.

Communion wine

The vines were planted in September 2004 and were grown using modern techniques.

The grapes have been harvested and a local winemaker is fermenting the wine for drinking in the autumn.

Some of it will be offered to the Diocese of Rochester to be used in communion.

Thirteen works were nominated for the award which is in its 13th year.

Nominations were invited from the residents of the county.