MASTERPIECES from the brushes of some of the world's great artists are appearing in schools in the Durham area.

Nevilles Cross Primary, Sacriston Juniors, and St Godric's Primary, at Newton Hall, are able to display reproductions of four paintings, originals of which appear in leading art galleries and museums across Britain.

Pupils were presented with the framed reproductions as part of Sainsbury's Pictures for Schools 2000 awards.

Through the scheme, in its seventh year, more than 8,000 schools across the UK have received reproductions of one or more of up to 34 paintings by famous artists.

The three Durham schools, among 1,300 receiving one of this year's four paintings, were selected by staff at their local Sainsbury's store, at the Arnison Centre, on the outskirts of Durham.

Store manager Tim Morris handed each a set of pictures, plus a teachers' pack, offering a range of suggestions for cross-curricular activities.

This year's paintings, all portraits, are Mr and Mrs Clark and Percy, by David Hockney, Mr and Mrs Andrews, by Thomas Gainsborough, Robyn Denny and Katherine Reid, by Howard Hodgkin, and, The Arnolfini Portrait, by Jan van Eyck.