A STONE balancer from west Dorset has produced a new book to showcase his work.

Lyme Regis artist Adrian Gray has released a book of photographs of his creations called 'The Art of Stonebalancing' - containing striking images by a number of renowned photographers, and images by Adrian himself.

The book also tells the story of how he came to make his living by creating gravity-defying sculptures. Adrian specialises in the unique art form of stone balancing, a complex process relying on natural forces and nature's glue to hold the rocks in seemingly unnatural positions.

Visitors to Lyme Regis will have seen Adrian demonstrating his magical art on the Cobb Gate beach, but most will be unaware that he has also showcased his work throughout the UK and as far afield as Singapore.

Adrian discovered his talent after being advised to meditate after contracting a fairly serious illness while on expedition in Madagascar - while a trip to the Himalayas allowed him to gain inspiration from 'way makers' built from stone.

Adrian said: "My book shows how my work has developed since I started stone balancing about ten years ago.

"There are three galleries of my own photographs dating back to 2006, plus a series of images by Duncan George, who I worked with for the Singapore exhibition in 2012.

"Duncan came with me on the trip, and there are some great pictures in the book of me balancing rocks in the city streets there."

The book includes a chapter on Adrian's appearance on Channel 4's Grand Designs programme last autumn - along with images of the sculpture he created for a medal-winning show garden at the 2014 Chelsea Flower Show.

There is also a practical guide for any aspiring stone balancers - with Adrian giving tips on how to get the best results.

The Art of Stonebalancing also includes a foreword by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and is a collaboration with Lyme Regis designer and publisher Olivia Daly. It contains more than 150 pages of colour and black and white photographs.

He launched the book at this year’s Chelsea Flower Show, and it is now on sale to the public. It is available online at stonebalancing.com and at Serendip bookshop in Lyme Regis.