THREE Rossendale artists have completed a prestigious community project in Greater Manchester, for which they were chosen ahead of all other applicants in the UK .

Robert Ashley, Bob Thompson and Andrew Holland undertook the creation of a huge mural in the city of Salford. The 40ft by 8ft painting was put together after consultation with children living in the city.

The men put forward their names for the project after it was pointed out to them by a Rossendale arts officer. The three, all fine art graduates, were chosen ahead of artists from all over the UK to carry out the work.

They were given just four days to complete the project, which was their biggest to date.

Bob Thompson, 52, said: "It was a privilege. You don't get many opportunities in life to do something as memorable as this."

The artists have recently completed a course at Sir Paul McCartney's Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts.

And according to Bob, who lives in Briar Street, Bacup, it helped them get the best out of the people they painted for.

"It showed us how to operate with people and get their imagination moving. We have not been working together for long but I think we have produced something of value", he added.

Children of the city were asked to make drawings of what they felt were important issues in their own communities.

These were then transferred to the mural by the three Rossendale artists.

Bob continued: "Peace, love and hope were the main themes. These are ideals which you could be forgiven for believing had disappeared with another generation but they are still very much alive in the minds of today's children."

The mural is due to be installed outside Salford's old art gallery, near the city university.

The gallery was the traditional home of paintings by LS Lowry before a new multi million pound gallery and arts dockside development opened in Salford last year.