An artist famous for his muddy creations on the back of his white van inspired children to create their own masterpieces during a school visit.

Ricky Minns – popularly known as Ruddy Muddy – visited Manor Field Infant schools to show pupils how he uses his unique medium to create stunning spectacles, which in recent times have included drawings of Prof Stephen Hawking and Prince Louis.

It was part of the Corvus Education annual arts week, which also included sessions of art history students from the University of East Anglia (UEA) and tips from professional photographer Richard Jarmy.

The theme of the arts week this year was people, with each class across the two schools linked with a different member of the surrounding community including a butcher, optician, builder, librarian, vicar and nurses.

The children had the opportunity to meet and draw these important people as part of portrait sessions. They then represented and captured them using different art mediums.

Pupils have also been developing their sketching skills by drawing from photographs, visiting a nearby care home to take some photographs of the residents there.

They then used these photographs to inspire their artwork back in the classroom.

Each year group also produced a large scale 'art attack' on the school fields, using lost property that had been collated in both schools. The children's art work has formed an art trail around the village of Long Stratton, with many businesses displaying the children's work in their windows.

Parents also got involved, taking part in a parent art club at both schools.

Families took on the home challenge of making images of faces to enter a school competition.

Alex Lightbown, executive headteacher, said: 'It has been a very exciting week planned for us by our arts coordinator.

'The communities have really engaged with us and the results are amazing. I would like to say a very big thank you to all those who engaged in the activities in such a wide variety of ways.'

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