Art teacher's mural masks Bispham raid damage

The News and Card Shop on Ashfield Road had its windows smashed during break-ins on September 9 and 13 (inset).

The shop’s owner has thanked his friend for deciding to make the plain board colourful.

Shop owner, David Sprigg, whose family have owned the shop for 53 years, was asked by his friend Mark Taylor if he would like to have a mural painted on the plywood board.

The shop had two break-ins in less than a week.

David said: “I thought it would be better than just a plain board and it has cheered up the community a bit.”

Mark is head of art at Unity Academy and has painted a mural of the inside of a post office.

David says he plans to keep the mural when it is taken down.

He said: “I want to try and incorporate it onto the side of the shop and I will varnish it when the new window is fitted.

“It would be such a shame for it to be disposed of so it will have some use.”

A large number of cigarettes were stolen from the premises in each incident.

An investigation into the incidents are still ongoing and no arrests have been made in connection to the break-ins.

A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: “We are still appealing for witnesses to come forward if they have any information in regards to the incidents.

“They should contact police by calling 101 and quoting reference number 153 of September 13.”