DOZENS of budding artists joined forces to create colourful tiles for a Weymouth garden.

Around 60 children and adults took part in the Weymouth Community Playgarden tile painting workshop last weekend.

Between them, they painted 50 tiles with pens donated by Frank Herring and Sons Art Shop in Dorchester.

The tiles will be fired by playgarden committee members in their ovens at home, varnished, and then displayed at the garden.

The group hopes to unveil the new display in a few weeks time.

Designs ranged from flowers, shells, wildlife and landscapes to cakes, abstract patterns and even a joke about aliens.

Drew, aged 7, painted a seascape and added the words: Welcome to the Park.

Committee members Audrey Palmer and Joy Sangster brought along homemade fruit loaf and ice creams, while Vikki Thomas brought cupcakes she had made with son Drew and daughter Kiera that morning.

The group’s art leader Roy McLeod said: “The children and adults were all really inventive and produced some lovely designs.

“It was great to see the kids so proud of their work and hopefully they will feel even prouder when they go on public display at the playgarden.”

Chairman of the group Clare Sutton said: “It was a really lovely event. There were lots of new faces and so many people helped out.

“We’d like to say a special thank you to Herring’s and Jeff Pouter for providing the pens and tiles for free, and to Helen’s Wholefoods for all the lovely plants she keeps giving us.

“As well as painting 50 lovely tiles, we also put in 30 new plants and the kids helped with a thorough litter pick. “It is amazing what you can do in an hour or so when the will is there.”

The group meets at the garden between St Leonard’s Road and Franchise Street, Weymouth, on the first Sunday of every month from 11.30am.

For more information contact Mrs Sutton on clare.sutton@zen.co.uk.

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