ARTISTS and Bolton School pupils had their work displayed at a special pop up art exhibition.

The exhibition, in the Market Place shopping centre on Saturday, was based on the theme of 'conflict' to tie in with the centenary of World War One and featured a 'Secret Postcard Sale'.

The sale included work by Bolton Arts Council — a group of boys from year seven, eight and nine at Bolton School and a number of famous artists.

Shoppers had the opportunity to buy the displayed post cards for £2.50 and be in with a chance of owning a signed piece by Hollywood Star Ian McKellen.

However, buyers will not know who has created the piece of art until they buy it and check the signature that appears on the back.

Jen McCann, Bolton School art and design teacher, said: "We have got acclaimed artists from around the world that have produced postcards specifically for this show and we integrated them with art work that the kids have done as well.

"The response to it has been amazing, the kids have been here all day and have been really really excited.

"It's been fantastic and so busy. We have had people coming in doing collaborative drawings — it's just been phenomenal and everyone has been really impressed with it."

Visitors could also write down a personal idea or experience and add it to a World War One 'thought bunker'.

Year eight pupil, Ibrahim Panchbhaya, aged 12, was one of the pupils who had created a post card and had his art work displayed.

Ibrahim said: "I figured out that the conflicts theme is always in the past and the present so I combined two pictures to create the final piece.

"It is a theme that everyone can get involved with. I really enjoyed creating the art work and I am enjoying just helping out today."

Parents who came along to the event were impressed with the display.

Mohammed Aly, whose son Dominic took part in the event, said: "There is some really great work here from students and I have bought some of the post cards as Dominic's great great uncles fought in the First World War so I will be giving them to his grandad.

"It is very impressive."

All the money raised from the event will be going towards a planned school trip to New York.