ASPIRING artists have brought a touch of ancient Rome to rural Wantage.

Year 7 and 8 pupils from King Alfred’s Academy spent months creating a mosaic with a natural theme and a clock as the centrepiece.

They saw their creation installed at the town’s Betjeman Millennium Park at a ceremony last Friday morning.

Year 7 pupil Lucy Pillman said: “When we began this project I had no idea how amazing it would look.

“I feel surprised yet pleased that our mosaic is actually going in the ground.

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“It was such a privilege to work with these people, they’re such an amazing bunch.”

The project started as an after-school class, but students ended up working on it in their free time.

Year 7 pupil Ellie Paine said: “I feel very excited to be included in making something many people in the future will walk past, like I do to other art projects. Our end piece turned out better than we ever expected.”

Art teacher Rowan Jones said: “It has been a wonderful experience working with such a group of students.

“Considering they were Year 7 when they designed and made this and it took us more than eight months, that shows just how committed the group was.

“I am thrilled that as a representative of King Alfred’s I have been able to make a strong link between our school and the local community.

“I look forward to people enjoying the new art space.”

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