Finishing touches were made at the weekend to a specially-created mural commemorating the 75th anniversary of the arrival of HMT Empire Windrush.

As the former troop ship berthed at Tilbury Docks, bringing West Indian emigres to post-war Britain, it marked a milestone in the black history of the UK.

A collaboration of three North-East muralists heralded the events of late June 1948 by bringing a blaze of colour to a residential corner of Darlington.

They added the final strokes to the colourful depiction of the landmark Windrush story, which has been created from scratch over just two days at the Arthur Wharton Foundation centre, at the junction of Widdowfield and Drury streets.

Read more: Windrush mural at Arthur Wharton foundation in Darlington

Members of the small Caribbean community in Darlington and surrounding area marked the occasion with an open day at the centre, itself named after the pioneering black footballer of the Victorian era, whose own mural adorns a gable wall overlooking the complex.

The trio of graffiti-style spray painters Dan Walls, Graham Clelland and Dan Toase, only arrived on site to begin the task late on Thursday.

Lubricated, appropriately, by a favoured West Indian beer, they completed the mural as the event was in full swing, with the background accompaniment of Panjumby, paying homage to the pan drum music of the Caribbean.

Mr Toase said preparations began late on Thursday evening, and the mural began to take shape from about 9.30am on Friday, with the task aided by the prolonged warm weather.

“It’s been awesome, with loads of really good feedback from people passing by and beeping of motorists driving past.

“I suppose it’s a celebration of a part of the UK and the feedback we’ve been getting has been positive.”

Read more: Darlington mayor marks the 75th anniversary of the Windrush arrival

One delighted observer as the mural took shape was Tony Squires, treasurer of the Darlington and District West Indian Association, better known locally as ‘the Caribbean Club’, who was joined by the group’s chair, Pat Martin.

“This is really fitting. It’s one of the places where people stop by and have a bit of banter.”

It formed part of a busy day for Mr Squires, whose family heritage originated in the small Caribbean island of Grenada.

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He had just come from the town centre, where the association has an annual presence at the Darlington Community Carnival, with a memorial dinner on Saturday evening to recall the late Winston Alleyne, an RAF veteran and long-standing member of the local Caribbean community, who died from cancer during the Covid period.

As a result of restrictions, his passing was not able to be marked in the manner his family may have wished at the time and so his daughter, Sara, and grand-daughter, Eden Rae, organised the dinner, at the Havelock Centre, in Darlington.

It was attended by family, friends, fellow association members, plus ex-service colleagues, all paying their respects to the larger than life Barbados-born character, who was a familiar figure to many townsfolk.