Couple create art from cast offs

Kate and Jerry Daly are offering to mould any body part and preserve it for posterity as a very unusual piece of decorative art - and they mean any.

Their line-up of customers includes a cast of celebrities.

Although the main business of Creative Casts is producing sculptures of people's limbs - especially babies' hands and feet - they offer adventurous people the chance to have a more intimate part of the body cast.

There has already been a lot of interest from those wanting their breasts or bums put on permanent display.

Mrs Daly, 38, said: "We have only done friends so far but we expect we will get a few takers.

"I think it will appeal to naturists and other people who do not have any hang ups. Imagine getting to 90 and being able to point at something solid and say: 'That was me when I was young'.

"Some people might see it as porn but I think that is a bit narrow-minded."

Much of the interest in this saucy service has come from women.

"The problem doing it for men is that the moulding compound is freezing cold and they are worried things could shrink quite a lot!"

The couple's idea to start Creative Casts came literally by accident.

Mrs Daly said: "My husband unfortunately had a tooth knocked out by a car door and had to go the dentist. During all the treatment they made a mould of his teeth and gums and, being a bit of a thinker and an inventor, he thought the same process must work for other parts of the body.

"We spent six or seven months practising with different materials and different parts of the body. My kitchen was a complete and utter mess."

The couple have now moved the operation from their home in Alfred Road, Eastbourne, to a proper workshop in nearby Arlington.

They have had about 30 satisfied customers since starting a few weeks ago.

Mr Daly, 43, is the creative spark behind the business.

Mrs Daly, who is also a part-time health care assistant at Elstreet Court nursing home, said: "My husband is a photographer as well as a trained electrician.

"He has quite a creative eye and used to make unique children's beds for friends and family in his spare time so he is quite an artistic person.

"Most of the finished pieces are mounted on a mahogany base with a glass dome over the fragile cast, which can be finished in a clear or coloured resin, sprayed with gold or lots of other styles."

Although the couple hope to make a tidy profit from their venture, they are also keen to help a small charity called Allergy Induced Autism, which has been a great help to their ten-year-old son Ben.

Mrs Daly said: "He is autistic spectrum, which means he cannot eat gluten, wheat, barley, rye, oats, barley or any dairy products. The charity were so fantastic with the way they offered advice and support.

"They are quite small but brilliant."

The couple's friendship with ex-gangster turned celebrated author Dave Courtney has given them an idea to really give the charity a boost.

Mrs Daly said: "We know Dave quite well because my husband used to be his best friend at school.

"He used to look after him as Dave wasn't the big hard man back then.

"We showed him the idea and he asked if he could do his hand and that got me thinking about getting lots of celebrities involved so we could hold an auction to raise lots of money for the charity."

The couple have also made a cast of the famous hand of darts specialist Bobby George and Chris Eubank has expressed an interest.

"We are desperate to get more local celebrities involved and I would love to cast the foot of Brighton and Hove Albion's Bobby Zamora," Mrs Daly added.

The couple have big plans for the future. Mrs Daly said: "We hope to launch a casting kit for babies up to 12 months old so that people we can't get out to or cannot afford to get a commission from us can do it themselves.

"I think they are perfect for parents of young babies because it is an heirloom they can keep for ever."

For more information on the business, go to www.creativecasts.com or call Mr Daly on 07788 458779.