Market Drayton's mayor's mural is a fitting tribute to the fallen
Market Drayton's mayor turned his hand to painting and created a poignant tribute to fallen soldiers in the town centre.
Mark Whittle’s artwork, depicting silhouettes of four First World War era soldiers, has already drawn praise from the people of Market Drayton who say it should become a permanent fixture.
Mark, a former soldier and current ambulance driver, was asked by the owner of the Cheshire Street building to pay a tribute to fallen armed forces in the 100th year since the end of the First World War.
And Mark turned around the striking set of silhouettes on the side of a shop in just a few hours.
Mark said: “I had a phone call on the Saturday from the guy who owns the building to ask me if I could do something for the centenary.
“I had been thinking about this anyway as I do still paint in my spare time, so I thought I had the perfect idea in my mind’s eye.”
Mark started sketching his design on Sunday, and on Monday morning he collected paint from shops in the town and got to work.
“Normally something like this would take weeks with all the planning that goes into it but I knew exactly what I wanted to do," he said.
“I got lots of positive feedback while I was out doing it, and I was hand-delivered about four hot cups of coffee which was very helpful keeping me going.
“I’m very happy with how the whole thing turned out.
“I am over the moon that it has had a positive reception in the town.
“I had paint donated from Homebase and Wilko in the town, which I’m very grateful for.”
Townspeople posted pictures on social media, calling it a moving tribute and expressing hope it will stay for years to come.
Daisy Hamlyn said: “How respectful it would be if it is left there indefinitely.”
“It would make a lot of people stop and think, even those who maybe wouldn’t be the first expected to take notice.”
Mark said that he would be happy for the mural to stay, and that the shop owner shared the sentiment.
