ARTWORK produced by soldiers at a Help for Heroes recovery centre will go on display at the Dales Festival of Art this weekend.

Pheonix House Recovery Centre, Catterick Garrison, is run by Help for Heroes and supported by the Royal British Legion, and has this year organised art workshops for its sick, injured or wounded soldiers.

Dales Festival of Art organiser Sue Dewhurst and veteran-turned artist Lenny Szrama hosted two workshops on acrylic painting on canvas techniques earlier this year, and follow-up weekly classes have been run by centre volunteer and local artist Di Williamson.

Now, work by five soldiers has been selected to form part of the Leyburn Art Trail during the festival, being held in the town on May 4 to 6 alongside the Dales Festival of Food and Drink.

Among the pictures on display at Warland’s Gallery in Dales Haven is a striking, colourful rural African scene painted by native South African Neil Purdon who now lives at Topcliffe.

He said: “I won a competition for a landscape picture I did when I was 12 but hadn’t done anything since,” said the 25-year-old who is recovering from reconstructive knee surgery.

“The painting in the exhibition is the first one I have done but I love African art and scenery and have lots of ideas for many more pictures.”