THE smiling faces of youngsters at a small village primary school have been captured forever in a new mural.

THE smiling faces of youngsters at a small village primary school have been captured forever in a new mural.

The gigantic picture, which adorns one whole wall of the hall at Caston Primary School, near Watton, features a classroom, the school's garden and dozens of individual figures.

After the backdrop was created by local painter Lauretta Doyle, pupils at the school were asked to add their own individual touch by painting their face onto one of the characters.

Mrs Doyle, who has two children at the school, said: 'Rather than me do everything I wanted the children to be involved too.

'They picked which character they wanted to be and then they painted their own face.'

Mrs Doyle said some of the younger children had had to use a mirror to get an accurate idea of what they looked like and the most coveted characters had been ones pictured in the school field with the boy is depicted winning a running race in particular demand.

The mural also features artwork which has been created by the children and blackboards which can be written on again and again.

There are also several landmarks painted onto the mural including the school's willow tunnel, the windmill which features in the school logo and a special bench dedicated to a pupil who sadly died.

Currently several figures are still without faces. These will soon be filled in by the school's newest intake making a total of 61 smiles in the picture.

In years to come the mural is set to expand round the side walls of the hall so more and more faces can be painted on as a lasting record of everyone who attended Caston Primary.