TWO artists have produced their own tributes, in very different styles, to a beloved school building following its demolition.

John Smith and Neil Grayson both used their creative talents to commemorate the former Tudhoe Grange School, in Spennymoor, County Durham, after it was pulled down last month.

Mr Smith, 38, got permission from demolition contractors to trawl through skips of rubble that was destined for landfill to salvage materials for his folk art sculpture.

He used a drawer front with a brass keyhole as the imposing front door, straightened out nails for chimney pots and wood with dowel holes became the distinctive round windows at the front of the 1912 building.

For Mr Smith his first ever sculpture was a labour of love which he worked on round the clock for five weekends - only telling his family he was going to his greenhouse where a 'special project’ was underway.

Mr Smith and his son, Joshua, 16, were both former pupils and his family lived in the schoolhouse next door when grandfather John Henry Eltringham was caretaker from 1961 to 1980.

He said: “I’m inspired by local history and scenes, it always connects with where we live and my family has always had a strong connection to that school so I thought it a good project for my first sculpture.

“I don’t know what all the bits of wood and metal I got to use were when they were part of the school but it was good to work with them for my interpretation of the building.

“My art isn’t fine art, it has a naivety about it but people seem to like it.”

Community campaigners tried to save the landmark building, which closed two years ago following the creation of Whitworth Park School, but Durham County Council and Spennymoor Learning Community Trust cleared the site ready for sale..

He said: “I was so proud of people’s efforts to try to save the building that this is a tribute to the school and them.”

Mr Grayson, also a former pupil, made his tribute to the school on canvas and has donated the framed painting for a raffle in aid of the online Save our Heritage group.