Rising above the North Sea 300m offshore from Newbiggin's North Beach, British sculptor Sean Henry's immense 2007 bronze creation The Couple, measuring 12m high by 20m wide, depicts a man and woman standing on a pier-like structure looking out to sea. Its installation was part of a major regeneration of the surrounding area, which included shifting 500,000 tonnes of sand to the beach here in an effort to prevent erosion.