AN old stable has been transformed into a centre of artistic excellence, thanks to the efforts of painter Alex Clark and her family.

After six months of hard work, Alex, who specialises in painting wildlife watercolours, has opened the first fine art gallery, in Weardale.

Lime Tree Gallery, just off the Market Place, in Stanhope, was in a dreadful state when Alex bought it earlier this year.

But, with the help of her mother, Christine, and builder father Bill, half the roof has been replaced, the walls have been renovated and the woodworm has been exterminated, to create a modern gallery.

Alex, who has a degree in biology, has been painting professionally for four years.

She previously worked in a small unit at the nearby Dales Centre, in Stanhope, and regards Weardale as the ideal setting to complement her wildlife paintings.

She is no stranger to art exhibitions in the North-East, having shown her work at the Queens and Moot halls, in Hexham, and at the Customs House, South Shields.

Alex has always had a deep interest in wildlife. She has been painting and drawing birds since she was a schoolgirl.

"Weardale, with its wealth of wildlife, is a wonderful place for any artist to be able to work, and to have a gallery here is really the icing on the cake," said Alex, who commutes to the dale from her home in Ebchester each day.

Alex hopes to stage regular exhibitions by other artists at her gallery.

"There is no reason why the dale should not become one of the leading art centres in the region. There is already a wealth of talent here," she said.