A rural community is greeting passers-by with a splash of colour.

Publican Rob Cairns has decorated the gable end of the Victoria Inn, in Front Street, Cassop, near Durham, brightening the gateway to the village, on the A181.

Artist Paul Richardson, from Fencehouses, near Houghton-le-Spring, painted the mural, which took two days to complete.

Mr Cairns' ideas for the design were enhanced by Mr Richardson.

The mural includes Durham Cathedral, the eastern end of which can be seen from the pub's restaurant, coal mining heritage, and the nature reserve, which is home to the Durham argus butterfly.

There is also reference to the village's former nickname, Valley of the Wildcats.

Mr Cairns said: "Basically, I wanted it to feature the local history of the village, with the connections to the cathedral, the nature reserve and the colliery.

"I think Paul did a brilliant job and it's really captured people's imagination. The response and feedback has largely been excellent. I think there are about ten people who don't seem to like it, and 500 who do."

Mr Cairns said it had also slowed the traffic coming into the village.

"It's a 30mph zone, but the traffic used to come through at about 50. Now, they're slowing down to glance at the mural."

Durham University's DUCK student charity contributed towards the cost - £1,500.