Murals spark 'amazingly positive' reaction

The Chase is located on the side of a building on Norfolk Street

Two giant murals created as part of a town's 800th anniversary celebrations have had a positive impact, the art festival's organisers said.

They are the first of a total of eight large-scale works on blank walls on locations around North Shields, in North Tyneside, over the summer.

Organised by Elevation, they are part of a festival marking its history from a small village of simple huts - or shiels - into a thriving harbour town.

The completed two have sparked hundreds of likes on social media with comments being "overwhelmingly positive".

Dutch artist Nina Valkhoff, who created the first mural in the town centre, said people had often stopped to watch her at work and had been "very encouraging".

The second, by street artist KMG and based on a river god, covers the side of a large building on the Fish Quay.

Work on the third is due to start on Monday.

Oceanus, close to the River Tyne, is based on a Roman river god

Stuart Fearn from Elevation said there had been hundreds of comments on social media, which had been overwhelmingly positive.

He said: "The feedback has been amazing, I know these things are often quite divisive but this has been so positive.

"It's had a huge impact, I've even heard about tourists from Portugal and Sweden commenting."

"They are really stunning, and will still be there in 10 or 15 years time - their legacy will last."

Various events have been organised to celebrate the town's history

The artworks are part of the North Shields 800 celebrations, marking the emergence of the town from a small village on the bank of the River Tyne to serve Tynemouth Priory into a thriving harbour town.

North Tyneside Council has now announced that a £132,160 grant had been awarded to the Linskill and North Tyneside Community Development Trust which would manage the funds on behalf of North Shields 800.

It would be used to support 10 projects to safeguard the town's maritime, industrial, railway and arts heritage.