A NEW mural in tribute to the late Queen Elizabeth II has appeared on the side of Pill Millennium Centre in Newport.

The mural painted by Walls by Paul, shows the Queen across the 70 years of her reign.

A mural of the monarch, who died on September 8 this year, was selected to adorn the side of the building rather than one of a sports figure to commemorate her years of service to the commonwealth.

Since it was finished by Paul Sheppard, people from all over Newport and Gwent have popped by to visit it and take photographs.

Tara Robins, manager of the Pill Millennium Centre - also known as Pill Mill - said: “We were originally going to showcase local sports heroes, however after Queen Elizabeth’s passing, we thought it would a great opportunity to honour the Queen and her services.

“The mural from Walls by Paul has been a popular attraction since it was finished, people from all over Newport have been visiting for photographs since I put it online yesterday.

“We are really proud of this amazing piece, and we look forward to revisiting our local sports heroes idea in the future.”

Rhys Baker visited the mural from Hollybush in Blackwood, along with his wife Erin and their seven-week-old baby daughter.

South Wales Argus:

He said: “It’s fantastic, you’re never going to see a monarch that reigns for 70 years again, maybe down in the future, but I think it’s a really good tribute to a long reigning monarch.

“A friend of a friend did this, and we wanted to come down and see it, my wife is very interested as the royal family is big in America.

“We have seen a lot of things like this vandalised in the past, and as soon as we saw it online we knew we had to come down straight away and see it.”

His wife added: “It’s a well done mural, its amazing I am really excited to see it, I am a big fan of her, and she was big in America, my family in America tuned in to watch her funeral.”

Paul Sheppard of Walls by Paul recently created the eye-catching Fox mural under the Harlequin Roundabout, and was approached by Newport City Council on behalf of the centre to create the mural.

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He said: “I’m usually booked three months ahead with mural work, and I broke my wrist a week before I was due to start it, it took me longer to paint with my painting arm in plaster.”