The Hewden CAT 312 Excavator waited behind the castle walls, waiting to attack the castle’s defences. And when the battle began it did not disappoint spectators; Hewden's powerful machine breached the walls with ease. The fortified sand was no match for the 12 tonne machine, the battle was over in minutes and the world’s first "sandcastle hotel" was levelled.

These were the scenes on a sunny Monday morning on the coast of Dorset, where a Hewden CAT 312 Excavator helped return a more familiar look to Weymouth beach. For over a week, the beach had been the site of the world’s first "sandcastle hotel" and the largest sandcastle ever built.

The Sandcastle Hotel, built by Mark Anderson of sculpturesinsand.com and commissioned by laterooms.com, was designed to encourage more Brits to holiday at one of the many quality beaches closer to home.

Ray Felton, Hewden Sales Manager, said, "It's easy to forget that we don't need to travel 3,000 miles to the other side of the globe for fine sandy beaches when our very own beaches can compete with the best of them."

The castle took a team of six people eight days to build. Commenting on the mammoth project, lead sculptor Mark Anderson said, "It was the largest but also the most difficult sand sculpture I’ve ever worked on; and I've been doing this for over 10 years. We were working between 12 and 14 hours a day with the added risk of the tide coming in higher than expected and ruining the day’s work."

Hewden's involvement began when Sales Manager Ray Felton heard of the record-breaking sandcastle on his way back from holiday. The unique nature of the Sandcastle Hotel inspired him to contact Mark Anderson and offer the use of a Hewden excavator, free of charge, to help with the deconstruction.

Ray Felton said, "Hewden is the biggest plant hirer in the country and we are always keen to be involved in the local community. With so many depots across the country, I felt we were well-placed to offer our services with no charge to the sculptor or the council."

The Sandcastle Hotel used 1,000 tonnes of sand from the beach and required an almost constant supply of sea water to ensure that it kept its shape during the building process.

Mark Anderson continued, "People tend to forget that we have some of the finest sand in the world right here in the UK. Certainly in my experience, Weymouth has the best sand I have come across, making it ideal for record-breaking sculptures."

The world’s first Sandcastle Hotel came fully equipped with a double bed, single bed and large sofa. Adventurous guests could stay overnight for a modest £10, despite the lack of shower or internet connection facilities.

July 30 2008