Sir Elton John: Second mural goes up in Watford ahead of gigs

Creators MurWalls said that "local people's love for Sir Elton needed to be recognised"

A second mural depicting Sir Elton John as a "glitz and glamour musician" has appeared ahead of his two "homecoming" shows at Watford Football Club.

A 30ft (9.1m) image of the singer graces the side of Watford Library, just weeks after the same artists created one of Elton at the stadium.

Sir Elton is due to play at Vicarage Road in July to finish the European leg of his Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour.

Creators MurWalls said it was "a gift for the people of Watford and Elton".

The new mural of Sir Elton John is on the side of Watford Library, next to the Town Hall

The street art company uses a team of artists who, since 2019, have completed several high-profile murals including one at Liverpool's Anfield stadium of Jordan Henderson lifting the Premier League trophy in 2020.

Using a cherry picker, work began on Monday and the mural was finished on Thursday

Their latest image of Elton, in hat and glasses against a background of red roses, was designed by MurWalls founder Marc Silver.

A new image of the singer - and Watford Football Club's honorary life-president - has been painted looking over the Sir Elton John Stand at Vicarage Road

Mr Silver said the Vicarage Road image of Sir Elton in his Watford kit was one "that I absolutely love" but "I felt that we couldn't do that and not show an iconic image of Elton John as being the classic musician with the glitz and the glamour".

MurWalls said the library location highlighted "local people's love" for Sir Elton

He said they worked with Iconic Images, an historic image archive, to recreate an "amazing" photograph by Terry O'Neil.

"We added a little bit of glitz to it with the diamonds and the rose background," he said.

He said the location elsewhere in the centre of town was chosen to recognise "Elton's long standing love affair with Watford and the local people's love for him".

The mural can be seen from the main road

Elected mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor said the mural would become a "must visit" attraction for fans from all over the world.

"Sir Elton John has contributed so much, not only globally, but also to the fabric of this community, especially his work with Watford Football Club," he said.

The creation took four days to complete

The concerts at Vicarage Road take place on Sunday and Monday, before the tour continues in the US and Canada.

Liverpool FC's Jordan Henderson with MurWall's image of him in Sybil Road, near the club's Anfield stadium

Sir Elton John is touring Europe and North America in 2022

Elton John and Watford FC

Sir Elton had a stand at Vicarage Road named after him in 2014

• The Candle In The Wind singer, who grew up in neighbouring Pinner, became chairman of the team he supported since his boyhood in 1976 and oversaw a period of great success after appointing Graham Taylor as manager in 1977

• The pair took the club from the Fourth Division to the top flight

• The club were runners-up in the First Division during their first spell at the club, and reached the 1984 FA Cup final, but lost

• Sir Elton has played the venue three times previously, having first appeared there in 1974 dressed as a hornet, in tribute to the club's nickname