AN eyesore bridge has been transformed with a community mural made by young people and a well-known graffiti artist.

The 32ft-long artwork has brought new life to Balmoral Street Bridge in Scotstoun, which has been plagued by vandalism and anti-social behaviour.

But a project with professional graffiti artist Dan McDermott brought together teenagers from Dumbarton Road Corridor (DRC) Youth Project to design and create the large mural, costing almost £6,500, to enhance the bridge’s appearance.

Ben Harris, 15, said: “We’re all proud of the mural and it was good that we could put our names on it. Dan was cool and we learned a lot from him.

“We worked on it over a couple of months and I’d like to do it again.

“Sometimes older people are worried when they see young folk in the street – even when we’re just walking along. It’s good that they can see us doing something good for the community.”

Lee Kerr, also 15, added: “The mural’s pretty nice and it was good getting to do something like that. Getting involved stops you just sitting in playing computer games.”

Broken glass, weeds, overgrown shrubbery and litter were removed from the bridge before remedial work and painting was carried out on the steelwork.

Young people also took part in the clean-up to make way for the mural which has been painted on to four large metal panels mounted on the inside of the bridge where it can be enjoyed by walkers and cyclists. The design features the city skyline with iconic landmarks and incorporates elements of the local landscape such as waves to represent the River Clyde and the Scotstoun Community Council logo.

Dan, 38, who has worked on murals such as the Gorbals’ Vampire and Scottie Dog in Maryhill, said: “Working on graffiti murals is very engaging for teenagers as it’s seen as a bit edgy. The Scotstoun group has been really interested and enthusiastic.

“We worked on drawings and canvases together before finalising the design and spraying it on to the metal boards mounted on the bridge.

“They are all very proud of their work and were surprised to find out that you can make a living from street art. I explained that I went to college and studied photography and art and design – so you can make a living from street art, but you need to study first.”

A Scotstoun Community Council representative said they were “very proud” of the contribution of the young people. They added: “Scotstoun is very proud of the contribution our young people have made to enhancing the local environment. We are very excited about the unveiling of the mural which is a prime example of what can be done when communities pull together.”

Councillor Michael Cullen said: “The bridge has been a trouble hotspot in the past, but this new mural promises to be a bright, eye-catching addition to the local area.

“The panels are mounted on the south side of the bridge and will be looked after by the young people going forward.”