Bhubaneswar, Sep 11 - On the eighth anniversary of the World Trade Centre (WTC) attacks, the victims have been given a sandy tribute by sand artist Sudarsan Pattnaik on Orissa's Puri beach.

The noted artist has erected a seven foot high sand sculpture. He has sculpted a new tower of freedom with the national flag of the US embedded on it.

The sculpture carries the message 'power of freedom' condemning terrorism.

Pattnaik created the sculpture on Thursday using five tonnes of sand along with students from his Golden Sand Art Institute.

'I have been paying tribute to those thousands of people who died in the WTC attack eight years ago. This year too, I am paying tribute to them through the new model of the World Trade Centre. Let the sculpture become a beacon of hope,' Pattnaik said.

Eight years ago a coordinated suicide attack by Al-Qaeda razed the twin towers of the World Trade Centre.