TALENTED young people have collaborated with an international artist to produce panels for their school garden.

For the past eight weeks, artist Tony Hogan has been working with youngsters at Tudor Grove, Sunderland - a pupil referral unit catering for 26 key stage three children who are facing permanent or temporary exclusion from mainstream education.

The project has been funded by the Paul Hamlyn Foundation.

"It's quite an achievement for our students to focus on one particular project for this length of time, and what they have produced with Tony's help is quite remarkable," said art teacher Linda Anderson.

"Our original objective upon completing the project was not only to enhance the immediate environment, but more importantly to provide the children with an example of how the arts function and affect our daily lives while also providing a possible future career."

Staff have been so impressed with the artwork that they are seeking a wider audience for it.

They have approached galleries and the Civic Centre as possible venues.