A REVERED artist has created a unique and thought-provoking mural on a wall in Jaywick in a bid to highlight the growing issue of coast erosion.

Wayne Tanswell, from Suffolk, is a professional signwriter who has produced work for the likes of Battersea Dogs Home, the Tate and legendary musician Chris Rea.

But last Thursday Wayne swapped his high-profile commissions for a more awareness-raising creation in Jaywick using environmentally friendly materials.

Alongside volunteers who helped the talented scribbler bring his vision to life, Wayne spent all day painting poetry from local writers onto a 40ft seawall near the Martello Tower.

The mural was put together using donated water-based paint, meaning the messages and rhyming lines will eventually fade away; a metaphor for the seafront’s fragile state and flooding problems.

Wayne said: “The fact that the work won’t be permanent fits in with everything the project is about.

“It will disappear, it is as simple as that, in maybe a year or so, representing how delicate the environment is.

“It sends quite a powerful message and I hope people will visit to see it.”

The large artwork is part of the Tides of Tendring project - a community initiative run alongside the Friends of Jaywick Martello Tower, which aims to raise awareness of the dangers of rising sea levels.

The group, which is funded by the Heritage Lottery Foundation, has been carrying out research into the history of flooding in the district and are using a series of exhibitions and events to showcase their findings.

A spokesman for Tides of Tendring said: "The rising sea levels is a serious issue, not just for Jaywick, but also for anyone living along the coast.

"Our volunteers worked incredibly hard alongside Wayne and throughout the day we had fantastic feedback from passers by.

"It also gave as the chance to explain more about the Tides of Tendring project and exhibition."

The Tides of Tendring can be found on Facebook.