Their art is in the work

Twenty children from Drove Primary School in Drove Road have been working with Swindon artist Tony Marlow who has been commissioned to produce several large hoardings, which are planned to surround the now-demolished Post Office in Fleming Way.

Teacher and art co-ordinator Claire Goode said: "The children are really excited about the idea that their work could soon on display in the town centre. They really are pulling all the stops out and getting into the project. They are really working hard."

Mr Marlow, of Goddard Avenue, Swindon has worked as a designer for 16 years and has produced artwork for Swindon's Steam Museum and several other Swindon businesses.

This week he has been helping the children use digital cameras and computer programs to help create montages that will later be scaled up to go on display in the town centre.

The project is part of a partnership between the New Swindon Company, Artsmad - Arts Make a Difference - Swindon Council and Drove Primary School.

Kirsty Carter of Artsmad said: "This is a great opportunity for the youngsters. We hope that that hoardings will show the past, present and future of Swindon in the children's eyes. I think it will be pretty spectacular to look at."

The artwork is expected to remain in place for about 18 months.

The beginning of demolition of the old Post Office in Fleming Way earlier this year fired the starting gun for the re-generation of the town centre.

The post office closed in October 2002 and English Partnerships, the national regeneration company which helps fund the New Swindon Company, bought the site. But it became a target for vandals and the building was the scene of a fire late last year.

Now the building has been torn down, the New Swindon Company wants to see shops, homes and offices built in the area around the old post office site, which it has called The Exchange, as part of the organisations long-term plans for the town.

Anthony Osborne