A MURAL depicting one of Ambleside's most established traditions has been restored thanks to the fundraising efforts of the community.

The Rushbearing Mural in St Mary's Church, Ambleside, has been on the back wall since 1944, when it was painted by evacuated art lecturer Gordon Ransome.

The years took their toll on the painting, and the last year has seen funds raised to restore the faded sections to their former glory.

The mural will be rededicated in a special church service held later this month.

Beverley Lock, rector at the church, said: "This mural has considerable significance to our church and community because it depicts a very old tradition in our town.

"The picture features local people, many of whom are still alive or whose families are still alive.

"It was made using paint that doesn't breathe as well as modern paint does and so it has, over time, started to flake and become a little patchy.

"We wanted to get it restored, and now it looks much better and much more colourful like it would have been originally."

The 26-foot mural was restored by Cambridge-based Tobit Curteis Associates, following a fundraising process led by Marguirite Jenkinson, who attends the church. The process cost more than £13,000, which was paid for using a fund set up to receive donations last year.

Ms Jenkinson said: "We are very pleased that we got the money and that the restoration has nor been done.

"The rushbearing is still something a lot of people take part in, especially the children. It is an important part of our town's history that is worth preserving."

Ambleside retains its traditional procession of bearing flower-decked rushes round the village to church, followed by tea, traditional gingerbread, and sports.

The celebrations captured the imagination of late Gordon Ransome, a lecturer evacuated to Ambleside during WW2 with the Royal College of Art.

He used local children as models for the mural and when re-visiting Ambleside in the 1990s he told a packed congregation about how the 26-foot mural was created and about the materials he used.

The re-dedication service will be led by the Reverent Beverley Lock at St Mary's on April 15.