A UNIVERSITY vice-chancellor was so impressed with a school art exhibition that he bought one of the main pieces.

Artwork of pupils from Spennymoor School, in County Durham, was displayed at the Oriental Museum, in Durham City, as part of the school’s recent exhibition of GCSE work, titled Wonders of the Orient.

Durham University vicechancellor Professor Chris Higgins was so impressed by a piece by one pupil he has offered to buy it.

Nicole Richardson created the ceramic for her two-year GCSE art project after being inspired by artefacts from the museum.

Prof Higgins said: “The pieces were of a very high standard and all very much admired.

“They were so good, several visitors to the museum thought they were part of our collections.

People were amazed to learn they were by schoolchildren.”