THE walls around a housing estate are turning into a street art canvas for a new community project.

In a bid to rid Weymouth’s Park District of anti-social graffiti, residents and organisations have joined forces to brighten up the area by hanging large pieces of art on the walls.

It was sparked by an idea from Park District resident and Weymouth College student Abi Arnold, 19, who thought the streets and alleyways could be brightened up with some art.

Community development worker Julie Hursthouse pulled together different partners and secured funding to make the project a reality.

The first art boards, by Dorset graffiti artist Peter Sheridan based on a design by Abi, have been hung on a wall bordering the railway opposite Heron Court in Ranelagh Road.

BTEC art and design student Abi said: “I was walking home from town one day and thought it would be good to have some art in the alleyways and give the area a bit more attention. A lot of children play outside around here and thought we could do something quite exciting.”

Abi contacted Weymouth and Portland Borough Council with her idea and to her surprise, it was taken forward.

“I thought I would be laughed at,” said Abi.

She added: “I wanted to do the work myself but due to illness I had to back out. That’s when Julie Hursthouse contacted Peter Sheridan.

“I came up with the design of the earth and the sun. It looks amazing. Peter has done a brilliant job.”

Abi said she was proud of the area she lived in and hoped the project could be moved forward to involve local youngsters as a way of helping them to have respect for the area they live in.

The project has been supported by Magna Housing with a £500 donation and the Waterside Weymouth Community Forum, which spearheads projects in the Park District.

Station owner South West Trains and Dorset Police are also behind the initiative.

Forum chairman John Morse said: “Having these boards on the wall rather than random graffiti is an inspiring idea and hopefully will make people appreciate the area in which they live in and get them involved in some of the activities that are happening in the Park District.

“These boards alongside with our flower displays will certainly smarten up the area.

“This will show that the young people, with the help of their college tutors, have great talents to be used in this area.”