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Art - or an excuse for vandalism?
The first stages of a project to transform the image of a vandalised underpass into a welcoming thoroughfare has been met with criticism.
On Wednesday night, a joint project involving a professional graffiti artist, local youths, and representatives from organisations, got under way to create a permanent mural on the Moss Lane tunnel.
However the scheme was a victim of its own success - and not everyone is happy.
Sgt Neil Sladen of Leyland Police said: "The idea is to get the kids in and teach them about art versus tags. It is fair to say that it has not turned out how we would like.
"The plan is to turn the subway into a nice bright place, and we have agreed with the council for funding to put strip lights in once it is all finished.
"One side is looking good, however, we will have to start again on the other side. We would like the kids to be involved, but certainly not with tags and we will have to review the situation if it is causing upset for local people."
The project will be ongoing each week through the next couple of months to turn the dark and dingy underpass into a less intimidating route for the public, including parents and children bypassing the motorway to walk to school.
Moss Lane resident Andy Farrell labelled the results of the first session 'an absolute disgrace' saying: "It looks worse now than ever before with awful tags and if this is supposed to be the work of a professional graffiti artist, then I'll be contacting the powers that be."
Mark Adams, of Lancashire Intergrated Youth Support Services, was there on the night.
He said: "The project was for 10 young people and that's how many turned up. We had some funding and the idea was to allow graffiti to be done in a legal way in the underpass.
"The brief was to create their own picture on one side. As it is they wrote their names.
"The rule was they couldn't write anything offensive to anybody and nobody did.
"I felt it went very well. Initially it was going to be a 10-week project but the young people did most of their wall on the night.
"It is something constructive for young people to do but it's always under review and we will be monitoring the situation."
What do you think? Email sam.chadderton@lep.co.uk
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Weather for Leyland
Thursday 24 May 2012
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