A PORTRAIT of a bride, painted by Viv Barnett with a brush and a credit card, won first prize in Malvern Art Club's mixed media competition.

Club members were invited to choose their favourite work from 29 paintings exhibited in the Sir Barry Jackson Rooms earlier this month.

Viv Barnett's picture Hayley was a clear winner, with works by David Colliver, Pam Foort and Brenda Tyler in joint second place.

"Hayley is a superb interpretation of youth and beauty," said one of the members, Beth Barnes.

Mrs Barnett, of St Andrew's Road, Malvern, said the picture was based on a photograph she had taken at the wedding of her daughter's friend Hayley Shipton, a former Chase High School girl, who now lives at Powick.

"I've known her since she was five and she looks radiant," she said. "The painting was an experiment I did for myself. I'm a bit of a butterfly. I use a lot of pastels and I do textile pictures as well. I was trying to bring everything together in this picture."

Mrs Barnett painted the portrait in oils, using a credit card for a smooth finish, with gold sealing wax, pearls, a silver cross, wax crayon and gold-coloured wire for embellishment. A box frame gives it depth.