ART students have unveiled a giant abstract painting, created specially to celebrate recent developments at Rivington and Blackrod High School.

The 8ft by 4ft artwork, designed and painted by former pupils Jenny Collier, Steven Parkinson, Stephen Wright and Parimal Patel, captures the spirit of Commonwealth Games events held at the Horwich school.

It was presented to leader of Bolton Council, Bob Howarth as a thank you for the local authority's help in developing the new drama facility, electronic library, tennis courts and refurbished technical block at the school and will form the centrepiece of the Corporate Property Services Conference Room.

The artists, now art students at Bolton Institute, spent a month creating the painting and signed it using handprints.

Councillor Howarth said: "This painting presented a fantastic opportunity to mark the partnership between the council's Corporate Property Services Division and the school and I will be delighted to have it on display."