Art exhibition showcases work of late mayoress

An art exhibition by a former Worcester mayoress has opened in the city a year after she died from breast cancer.

A special posthumous event showcasing the work of Rachel Hall, who died at the age of 61, is taking place at The Artery until Wednesday.

The watercolour artist sold many of her original prints to raise money for charity, which included Onside, Severn Arts and Worcestershire Acute Hospitals' Oncology Centre.

Her partner, councillor Adrian Gregson, former Worcester mayor, put some of her best unsold work on display in her memory.

Gregson told BBC Hereford & Worcester she had been good at "taking simple things" from around the garden and turning them into art.

He said: "[Painting] obviously helped her focus on something that wasn't about having cancer.

"It gave her something to look forward to. It was something that really helped keep her going."

She even sent Christmas cards of her own designs to Downing Street.

Her family said they were "immensely" proud her legacy lived on.

Relatives told the BBC: "Once you see the impact of all the paintings together, you realise how much she'd done. We've had lots of comments on how beautiful it is and her use of colour.

"It's interesting what she did in the earlier years and what she was still able to do.

"She'd be delighted to see how much people are loving the exhibition."