A COLOURFUL tile mural has been created to mark the 60th birthday of a learning disability organisation.

To celebrate Mencap's birthday members at the Braintree branch created a masterpiece out of tiles.

Shaun Hall teaches pottery at the branch in Coggeshall Road and he said the mural looked great now it is finally up.

It was made by mono printing onto copper oxide plates, similar to etching or tracing, and printing these pictures onto rolled out sheets of clay.

The prints were made into tiles and filled in with underglaze colours.

Mr Hall said: "It took about three months, and then 18 months before Mencap identified a safe area outside for the boards to be displayed.

"Thankfully it is now safely and permanently displayed.

"It is lovely because some of the members have now moved on and dear Rob Sands, who was a member of the pottery group, sadly passed away last year.

"It marks a special point in time, we hope that in another 60 years the tiles will be added to by the next generation of Mencap members.

Rob Sands died suddenly, aged 28 in February.

He was a member of Braintree Mencap and the vice-chairman of the organisation’s Gateway Club’s members committee.

He had suffered an epileptic seizure and Rachael Luckin, general manager of Braintree Mencap, said Mr Sands was “an ambassador for learning disability” who was deeply involved in the community.

The mural was started last Easter, and Mr Sands sadly died before it could be installed.

About 40 tiles feature on the wall and show the faces of the members and staff.

Mr Hall said: "They all enjoyed making them, we are really chuffed with it and it came out better than we thought it would.

"With a bit of guidance it went really well."