A MURAL depicting a child's view of Essex has been unveiled.Colchester-based artist Sarah Sabin has worked with 12 infants' schools in the county to create a 48ft mural showing the youngsters' views of their local history, people and landscape.

A MURAL depicting a child's view of Essex has been unveiled.

Colchester-based artist Sarah Sabin has worked with 12 infants' schools in the county to create a 48ft mural showing the youngsters' views of their local history, people and landscape.

Ms Sabin enlarged and duplicated their designs using various materials including paint, collage and photographs of the participating children. The boards now form a landscape based on the coats of arms of all the districts and boroughs in Essex.

The mural has been installed in the third floor balcony area overlooking the atrium at County Hall in Chelmsford and was unveiled by Tracey Chapman, the county council's cabinet member for children and families.

She said: "If anyone still has a stereotyped image of Essex, then they need to look around them. I can vouch that its landscape, people and history are rich and varied. It is magically brought to life in this beautiful mural, which visitors, councillors and staff at County Hall can all enjoy."

Ms Sabin added: "I wanted the children to include what was important to them about their area, rather than what I felt was important. Visiting the far flung corners of the county and meeting the children opened my own eyes to the place I live in and thought I knew."

Schools taking part included Prettygate Infants School, Colchester; Spring Meadow Primary School, Dovercourt; Southminster Infants School; Baddow Hall Infants School, Chelmsford; and Bulmer St Andrews Primary School.