THOUSANDS of shoes formed a poignant tableau this weekend to refugees who lost their lives at sea.

A group of local volunteers, led by the Swindon People’s Assembly turned the GWR park, Faringdon Road into a field of empty shoes, with each pair representing a refugee who died during the desperate journey to freedom.

More than 4,220 people, including 600 children, have so far died in the Mediterranean this year.

The memorial consisted of lines of empty pairs of shoes with each pair representing the life of a refugee killed during the crossing.

With the help of residents and local businesses, more than 2,000 pair of shoes were donated to the cause.

Kate Linnegar from the Swindon People’s Assembly said she was moved to tears.

“When I look at the shoes, it makes me want to sob. Each pair represents a life, a personality, someone who wanted to live and didn’t have any other alternative but to make that treacherous crossing. It is a horrible, frightening death, trying to cross at night and worried about your children. That’s why we needed to do this.”

Jo Holbourn, from Moredon was one of the volunteers responsible for setting up the memorial. The 38-year-old said she was moved by the tribute.

“As soon as I saw it, I knew I wanted to help. Standing here in front of the memorial, I feel very small, and you can see just how many lives were lost. I find it quite difficult to see but we need to get the message out there, that these refugees are people that deserved a chance.

Pete Smith from Old Walcot, was one of many residents donating shoes to the memorial. He said: “I am very moved when I look at this, more moved than I could have imagined. It’s really important to me that we ensure refugees have a voice and get people talking about refugees and what they have gone through.”

The Salvation Army in Gorse Hill, The Gate in Havelock Square and the Adver offices were some of the locations in and around the town that acted as drop-off points for shoes.

A similar memorial took place in Parliament Square on the eve of the recent United Nations Migration Summit, where aid organisations came together to lay out 2,500 used lifejackets

As a dispersal town for asylum seekers, Swindon has become home for hundreds of refugees seeking a new start after fleeing persecution, conflict and extreme poverty.

All the shoes used as part of the memorial installation will be passed on to local organisations including Threshold Housing Link, Swindon Women’s Aid and the Harbour Project.