A RECORD-breaking length of loom bands made by a little boy and his supporters has been given new life.

Oxford Children’s Hospital has unveiled a ‘magical’ interactive art installation in its atrium, made from 30,000m of multicoloured bands from Skye Hall’s Loom to the Moon project.

The Abingdon youngster died in 2014, aged five, after complications in his treatment for a brain tumour.

Before his death he set his sights on creating a gigantic loom band - coloured plastic bands woven together to form a chain - and people across the world helped him to fulfil that wish.

READ AGAIN: Abingdon boy Skye Hall lived his short life to the full

His parents Andrew and Sally Hall wanted others to find joy in the project, and artist Jane Watt worked with Oxford Hospitals Charity's arts programme to repurpose their son's legacy.

Speaking at the unveiling ceremony yesterday, Mr Hall said: "Skye was an incredible creative, imaginative and resourceful child.

"During the latter part of his treatment he would spend hours in the hyperbaric oxygen chamber - his little spaceship - and came up with the [Loom to the Moon] idea.

"It was challenging to find something that provided distraction from the rigours of treatment, something that stimulated conversation and intrigue.

"Knowing the trepidation Skye sometimes felt on his arrival, we wanted to try to create something fantastical that might provide that intrigue and distraction to young people."

The 'Loomstallation' has been installed in the glass wall of the hospital's entrance, on the John Radcliffe Hospital site in Headington.

Visible from inside and out, it is made up of swirls, butterflies, spaceships and many other shapes twisted out of the loom bands, sprawling from floor to ceiling.

At either side there are loom band 'cogs', each sponsored by an individual, company, organisation or school, which spin around to great delight of children.

Oxford Mail:

Mr Hall, 47, said: "No doubt Skye would have been very proud of the sheer scale of this addition to the hospital atrium , and the first to take up the treasure challenge to find different intergalactic space objects hidden in the artwork.

"We believe that this piece of art truly belongs to the people of Oxfordshire."

One year after Skye's death, the Guinness book of Records officially declared his Loom to the Moon chain the longest loom band ever.

READ AGAIN: Skye Hall's family set new world record for longest Loom Band

His mum Sally Hall, 40, said: "Skye had high aspirations and demonstrated huge determination to overcome incredibly difficult challenges he had to face throughout his treatment.

"I hope this magical artwork will go some way to keeping his memory alive and bring a little of the excitement and magic which Skye had into the lives of others along the way."

Oxford Mail:

Skye with the loom bands

Skye's brothers Jesse, seven, Flynn, three, and Beau, one, helped to cut the loom band and declare the installation open as dozens of supporters applauded.

The family raised more than £35,000 to fund the artwork, plus extra for their charity Blue Skye Thinking, which supports treatment and research into childhood brain tumours.

Cherry pickers had to be used to reach the blank 'canvas' of the glass wall and piece the artwork together.

Ruth Charity, arts coordinator for Oxford Hospitals Charity, said: "The Loom to the Moon artwork creates a vibrant and colourful welcome to the Children's Hospital for young patients and their families, helping to make the hospital a less intimidating place to visit.

"We hope it will engage children, take their mind off their treatment and provide a distraction from pain, anxiety and stress."

Oxford Hospitals Charity's chief executive Douglas Graham described the artwork as 'inspiring and poignant'.

The project has been two years in the pipeline as the team had to stick to strict rules about safety and infection control.