A SCENE showing a colourful Bromsgrove High Street, painted by a talented Midlands artist, will feature on a sign to welcome visitors on a main road approach to the town.

The five-foot high wooden framed sign, on top of a seven-foot tall single oak post, is a project that will be funded by the Bromsgrove Society, as its contribution to the Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations.

It will be erected in September on the grassed mound at the junction of Stratford Road and West Road.

The picture, entitled Housman and I, was painted some years ago by Worcester artist, David Birtwhistle, and is popular as a print and on greetings cards with his customers at Birties gallery in Friar Street.

He painted the picture from a point near Rainscourts looking towards the Housman statue - and included himself hard at work at his easel.

Mr Birtwhisle's work is in one Royal collection as well as in many public and private collections worldwide.

Society president, Graham Reddie, from East Road, Bromsgrove, said he hit on the idea of using the picture, after the executive had agreed to the scheme in principle, when he spotted it on a card in Cupitts jewellers shop.

Mrs Cupitt is the artist's sister-in-law.

Mr Reddie said he hoped other organisations will follow their lead and fund similar signs.