A POP-UP outdoor art gallery featuring paintings by local residents of all ages has helped a group of York youngsters raise more than £3,000 for York Against Cancer.

As part of their Lifestyle Challenge, South Bank-based team SmART (Small Artistic Revolution Together) encouraged local residents to produce their own works of art to exhibit and sell.

Youngsters Dec Dalgleish and Alfie Robinson, both aged 11, Lellie Dalgleish, 15, and 13-year-olds Sammy and Lily Hunter-Richmond made and sold 80 canvases to people to paint on, 79 of which were sent back to the team for the gallery, with 17 being sold.

The gallery has also paid tribute to a former North Yorkshire police officer.

Part of the display, which went up on Racecourse Road last Sunday, is a photograph of PC Suzanne Asquith BEM who died of cancer in 2016 but had played a major role in the North Yorkshire Police Lifestyle scheme designed to get young people working for their communities in the summer holidays.

Jo Dalgleish, parent of team members Dec and Lellie, who had met Suzanne through a previous award-winning Lifestyle project, said: “We got wood from our allotment and we got sheets from the local community and a local cleaning business.

“The whole community really got hold of this idea. We have paintings from two-year-olds to 80-year-olds, some of them people have never painted before.”

She added: “The five kids have worked tirelessly and have worked really hard to produce this.”

Last Sunday’s event also had stalls, selling cakes and arts and crafts, the majority of which were made by the children themselves.

Visitor Jayne Fitzgerald said: “It has been absolutely brilliant. The standard of work put into this exhibition has been absolutely phenomenal and a total pleasure.

“Well done to everyone involved, they’ve really done well.”

Team member Alfie said: “What I enjoyed most was making the canvases, as it brought us all closer together.

“I’m really surprised at how far we’ve come and the incredible amount of money we’ve raised and the amount of people have come.

“To help York Against Cancer is amazing and I know that they don’t get enough money and this will really help them, which is the best thing.”

The paintings that haven’t been sold will remain in place for viewing until the end of the month.

Since the start of the project, the team has raised £3,300, with more promised for York Against Cancer.

Anyone who wishes to donate to SmART can do so at https://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/LellieDalgleish.