A NEW piece of street art has sprung up in Oxford city centre.

But far from being a piece of unwanted graffiti, the mural of Fort Jaisalmer, in Rajasthan, was a commissioned artwork produced by emerging street artist Jason Howarth.

The Grandpont-based artist was approached by the Shezan Indian restaurant to do the mural in the alleyway near Carfax off the High Street after they were impressed with a mural he had done of an aquarium scene for Carfax Chip Shop.

Mr Howarth, 43, said: “The manager liked the aquarium I’d done and said he would like me to do a mural of this fort. I’m very pleased with it.”

Mr Howarth has been working as a self-employed freelance street artist for the past three to four years, and has done work for the Amy Winehouse Foundation in London.