A FORMER policeman who appeared on the BBC’s Big Painting Challenge television show has returned to the North-East to tutor budding arts students.

Jan Szymczuk, who is now a full-time artist, bettered the efforts of more than 6,000 entrants to qualify for the show.

But he missed out on a place in the second round.

Mr Szymczuk is among a number of North-East artists who display their work with the North East Art Collective, Newcastle’s newest art gallery in Eldon Garden.

He returned to his home in the region and held a workshop with 25 students from Mortimer College, in South Shields.

He said: “I think you have to have a passion for what you do and that way you will be a success.

“Appearing on the show was a great experience and I am slowly getting used to people coming up to me in the street and asking me about my work.”