Pop pioneer's capital soundtrack

Martyn Ware (centre) with the band Heaven 17 in the 1980s

One of the founding members of 80s pop bands The Human League and Heaven 17 is to turn the every day sounds of London into a musical composition.

Martyn Ware will be using sounds such as the chimes of Big Ben, Westminster Cathedral's bells and the cries of market traders for the project.

Called SoundLife London, the final work will be broadcast from hidden tree top speakers in Leicester Square.

Various schools and youth centres will also contribute to the work.

Participants from each group will take part in workshops and be provided with hand-held recorders to capture the sound they believe best represents London.

Mr Ware said: "As someone that has worked in popular music for a long time, it's in my soul that I want to appeal to the broadest range of people.

"This is a world first piece of public sound art where hundreds of people can also become the artists and share their own individual and unique view of London in the iconic venue that is Leicester Square."

Westminster Council has provided £8,000 of funding to support the project.