PUPILS from Sandhills Community Primary School in Oxford have been showing off an underpass mural they painted themselves.

The A40 subway has been decorated in a three-week £20,000 Oxfordshire County Council project which also saw the underpass resurfaced.

The mural, which has an ecological theme, was also created with the help from Wheatley Park School pupils.

The decoration was finished last week but may need one more coat of anti-graffiti paint.

Sandhills Primary teacher Emma Hunter-Lacey, who designed the mural with pupils, said parents had been seen taking photographs of the sections their children painted.

She said: “It has been nice to see the kids take such joy in doing it.”

The school picked the ecological theme as the it has been granted Green Flag status as an ecological school and won a national energy efficiency award in 2008.

The project started three years ago when residents and parish councillors agreed the underpass beneath the A40 was unpleasant and a mess.

MIke Rowley, Oxford City Council member for Barton and Sandhills, said the mural had halped to make the underpass look much better.

He said: “It is great thing. We have been looking to get that underpass improved for some time.”

The Labour councillor said it was important the community had a sense of ownership over the underpass so it was treated with care and respect in the future and perhaps would not be targeted by vandals.

He added: “It looks much better and much brighter and happier. It is absolutely great and the fact we could it this way I am very pleased about that.”