A BRIGHTLY-coloured £1,200 spray painted mural funded by the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner has been unveiled in Boscombe.

Mike Ness of MBN Arts Ltd and the artists who created the work, Jack Kellythorn and Alex Drugescu, unveiled the jungle-themed piece in Roumelia Lane in Boscombe with the help of Boscombe West ward councillor Jane Kelly and an officer from Dorset Police.

The project cost £1,200 with the majority of the money, £1,000, coming from the Safer Dorset Fund and £200 coming from other local funds.

Colin Pipe, Dorset's Acting Police and Crime Commissioner, said: “The Safer Dorset Fund supports local voluntary groups to deliver projects and initiatives that make Dorset safer in line with the six priorities set out in the Police and Crime Plan.

"The scheme has so far supported 80 projects, with funding being agreed by a panel of community representatives."

Mike said that rather than a 'hard hitting advertisement', the mural aims to engage with people and help to identify any issues in the community.

Mike Ness said that he was asked to design and create a contemporary, illustrative spray painted mural for the lane, which is receptive to younger generations to encourage them to report crimes.

He added: "The mural is playful and shows sneaky animal characters up to no good in the community, with other characters pointing them out, looking out for their community."

Speaking about the idea behind the mural, he said: "Four years ago, Roumelia Lane sadly saw a young male killed through a shooting and the lane has continued to be a prone area for antisocial behaviour, vandalism and other criminal activity.

"This again is such a shame, as the lane is home to a variety of quirky businesses, lovely people, and also is already home to a variety of beautiful large scale murals.

"To tackle this problem in the area, the local police need the help and co-operation of the people in the community, however getting them to report crime, especially the younger generations is an increasingly difficult task."

Cllr Jane Kelly said: "We are really excited about the new mural and grateful to the Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner for the funding. It encompasses the large amount of murals that we already have in Boscombe, which is becoming a creative area.

"It is beautifully designed and it says something to everyone. It's a fun design with a serious meaning."