A HUDDERSFIELD artist could have his work seen by millions of people in the centre of London.

Stefan Gec is one of six artists on the shortlist to come up with a temporary artwork for the vacant fourth plinth in Trafalgar Square.

Models of their proposed pieces will go on public display in the capital at the end of the year.

The public will be asked to give its choice before the final decision is made.

It's a major honour for Huddersfield-born Mr Gec, who was born in 1958 and worked in textiles before studying art.

He has used scrap metal from decommissioned Soviet submarines and large-scale photos of firefighters who died at Chernobyl in his work.

Mr Gec's art has also included creating a fully operational, ocean-going buoy through to a model and computer-generated animation of a Trident nuclear submarine.

He was born in Huddersfield and worked in textiles for seven years before taking an art foundation course at Huddersfield Polytechnic.

Mr Gec says a large part of his work stems from his father's experience as a refugee from the Ukraine after the Second World War.

One of his works - put on show at the Yorkshire Sculpture Park, West Bretton - was based on the Emley Moor TV mast.

The winning work for Trafalgar Square's empty plinth is expected to be in place within a year.

It will be the first in a rolling 12 to 18-month programme of artwork on the plinth.

Mr Gec's rivals for the commission are Marc Quinn, Young Brit Artist Sarah Lucas, Boston-born Chris Burden, Nigerian-born Sokari Douglas Camp and Germany's Thomas Schutte.

Equestrian statues of British Empire heroes occupy three corners of Trafalgar Square - two of 19th-century generals and one of King George IV.

But the fourth has stood empty since King William IV died without leaving enough money to have his own statue erected - and no-one else stepped in.

London Mayor Ken Livingstone said the shortlist showed a great range of vision and approach. He hoped the plinth project would create interest, excitement and debate about public art.

Models produced by the shortlisted artists will go on public display at the National Gallery in London during December and January.

Mr Livingstone will announce the winner next spring.