YOUNGSTERS PRAISED FOR GRAFFITI ART WORK

Teenagers who were spraying graffiti in Horam skateboard park at the weekend were congratulated for giving up their free time.

Nine students from Heathfield Community College joined forces with Hailsham aerosol artist Matt Sexton to spruce up the skating haven.

The unusual scheme came about after Horam parish council contacted the specialist arts college to see if they would be interested in helping to give the facility a facelift.

Arts administrator Julia Roberts said the school was keen to engage the pupils in some form of public art and this was the perfect opportunity.

Through Wealden District Council, the college tracked down the graffiti artist who visited the pupil volunteers and discussed ideas with them for a design.

After he had completed the 15-hour drawing-board stage the youngsters then spent around 15 hours alongside the 21-year-old spray can expert applying the design on Saturday and Sunday.

Mr Sexton said that the teenagers, aged between 13 and 14, really enjoyed their weekend of refurbishment work, especially as the weather was fine.

He said: "Youngsters tend to be interested as a soon as you mention spray cans and the students were intrigued to see the process and how it came together."

He added: "I hope the design at the park will influence kids and show them they can be more creative than just putting up the tags you see around the towns.

"If you find a legal place to do graffiti, the art form allows for more creativity."

Mr Sexton, who studied art at a college in Eastbourne, has also produced designs for the leisure centre and a community centre in Hailsham