ART has gone underground in a new council project, and although it may be hidden from view, it will be admired by thousands of people.

Graffiti art will appear in subways across Gateshead over the coming year, in a scheme involving Gateshead Council and Teams Community Centre.

The first subway, on Askew Road in Teams, has just been completed in the project, which reflects the many different activities undertaken at the community centre.

Senior area community education worker Ray Dodd said: "We've all been very conscious of the state of the subways in Teams.

"We approached Gateshead Council, in order to help us create a legitimate site for young people to express themselves.

"Then we raised £4,000, some with the help of Northumbria Police and some from the Community Cohesion Fund, which covers the artwork in the first subway.

"We recruited a number of young people who've been tagging - writing their names on walls - and got them to transform their ideas into graffiti art, with the guidance of community writer Barry McNab, better known as Mr Zee."

The first subway, which took four days to clean up and complete, includes artwork depicting education, music, dance, culture and sport.

In the second and third subways, the young artists will be allowed to let their imagination flow even more freely.