They might have never picked up a paintbrush before last week but that didn’t stop a group of teenagers from creating a masterpiece.

The Comet: National Citizens Service participant Katie Moore paiting the muralNational Citizens Service participant Katie Moore paiting the mural (Image: Archant)

A mural at Marriotts Sports Centre in Stevenage was solely devised, sketched and painted by a group of 16 and 17 years olds.

Group leader Alex Meldrum said: “It went really well. It was the first time all of us had done anything like this.

“We all learned teamwork and helped each other to see the bigger picture when we were working up close on the mural.”

The group of 14 teenagers are on a four-week National Citizen Service project which is being run by Stevenage FC. It aims to teach young people life skills and build their confidence.

The group spent time at an outdoor activity centre and the University of Bedfordshire before taking on the social action programme to create the mural.

It has a brick borderline and silhouettes of people doing various sports including football and athletics and features the letters MSC – the sports centre’s initials.

Like most people on the course Alex, 16, is going to college in September and has the long-term ambition of becoming a zoo keeper.

She said: “I’m proud of what we have created. It also helped us learn to trust each other.”