Shropshire Rocks with new phenomenon - with video and pictures

Just over two weeks ago, Telford mother Rachel Hales started the group urging people to paint rocks and stones and hide them across the region for people to find.

But within a matter of days, hundreds of colourful pieces of art have been posted on Shropshire Rocks and it boasts more than 10,000 members.

From Carding Mill Valley to Telford Town Park, budding painters are taking to social media to share some of the cracking creations they've come across.

Mrs Hales, aged 41, who lives in Trench, started the page after seeing a similar page in America called Whidbey Island Rocks.

The mother-of-five couldn't believe how happy it seemed to make the community so decided to set one up herself.

"I saw the Whidbey Island Rocks page in America and couldn't believe how much it had brought the community together, she said.

"Everything you see on the news is awful and I wanted to do something nice, especially in the school holidays so I thought I'd have a go.

"I messaged a few pages in Telford and it's gone mental. Its only been open three weeks this Sunday and there's already over 10,000 members on there."

The idea is to decorate rocks or other found items in nature and hide them in various locations to brighten someone’s day.

People can use paint, chalk, crayons, Sharpies,or whatever they like - as long as it has a coat of sealer over it to help preserve the art.

On the back of each masterpiece people should write in permanent marker "post a picture to the Facebook Page 'Shropshire Rocks'" and also 're-hide me'.

Mrs Hales first took her children to Ironbridge to hide their painted rocks.

And within a matter of days, a picture of the rock was posted all the way from Australia after someone visited the area had picked it up.

She added: "I keep getting all these notification's and people are messaging me of how grateful they are. There was post that said the little boy didn't like going out the house but it got him out.

It just brings a smile to my face.

"The kids are using their imaginations which is good. They sit down and are just so quiet for so long. It's really therapeutic as well.

"My daughter is quite arty so she's used her imagination. One day they spent their hole day painting. They're not sitting on the computer or watching the television, it gives them a break and gets them in the fresh air.

"It's showing children how to give and receive as well, they're giving someone a gift that they don't even know."

To get involved with Shropshire Rocks search the group name on Facebook.