A FREELANCE artist, who draws portraits for the police to identify criminals, is joining five other painters for a special exhibition.

Hazel Talbot is a member of Clyffe Hangers, which has an exhibition in the Goddard Arms, Clyffe Pypard, until January 6.

Mrs Talbot lives in Broad Town and her work depicts animals, portraits and landscapes in oils, pastels and watercolours.

She has worked for the police in the south west since 1981, drawing a total of 236 portraits for identification purposes in 20 years.

The Goddard Arms has always had a reputation for encouraging artists and musicians and for the past two years publicans Ray and Libby Orchard have continued to encourage exhibitions within their pub.

Joining Hazel in the Clyffe Hangers are Patric Bown, June Cooper, Patricia Greenwell, Morgan Hughes and Florence Tweedale. Mrs Greenwell is the co-ordinator of the exhibition. She comes from Highworth and is showing local studies and Cornish landscapes in pastels, watercolour and mixed media.

Mr Bown lives in Coleview and is known as a tutor and painter of watercolours. His subjects are boats, flowers and landscapes. Mrs Cooper's contribution is a selection of her delicate watercolours of flowers.

Mr Hughes will be showing a taste of the continental with some of his town and country landscapes and still lifes in oil and watercolour. He lives in Swindon and will show some Wiltshire scenes as well.

Mrs Tweedale will bring a Celtic flavour to the display, as the Irish painter will be showing landscapes from Ireland and local scenes. She lives in Tetbury.

The exhibition runs until January 6 and is free during pub opening hours.