A renowned street artist who grew up in New Malden has adorned the Kingston town's train station with a colourful mural.

Our dreaded grey winter months will, for commuters in South West London, be a little brighter thanks to the new piece by renowned local artist Lionel Stanhope.

The 54-year-old, who started experimenting with street art in Surbiton and Kingston while a teenager, has brought beauty to railway station bridges across London with his murals, from Tulse Hill and Selhurst to Brockley and Dulwich.

For this, his latest mural, Stanhope was commissioned by New Malden Residents Association (NMRA) to return to his roots and paint the approach to the train station of his home town, in a similar style to the first ever railway mural he did for Herne Hill, in 2013.

Residents were invited to vote for one of four designs based on the iconic station signage the artist is known for, to enhance the approach to the train station and add cheer to the high street.

Funded by Kingston council's community grants scheme, which the New and Old Malden Neighbourhood Committee awarded in June, the bright and delightful result Stanhope has stamped depicts New Malden's identity for all to enjoy, be they members of the community or passersby as they pass through.

Natalie Walton of New Malden residents association said: "In 2019 NMRA voted to adopt New Malden station and we are delighted that this mural is the first project we have undertaken, in partnership with South West Railway and Network Rail."

Councillor Lesley Heap, chair of the New and Old Malden neighbourhood committee said: "New Malden is a unique place with a vibrant community and this wonderful mural is a fitting way to celebrate the pride we feel in our town.

She added: "Making our town centres more attractive is a key part of our work to regenerate our borough and support the local economy. I'm really proud that we've been able to fund this mural through the council's community grants programme."