Ever fancied designing a bollard? Sheppey artist Richard Jeferies wants to brighten up Sheerness and has hit on the idea of giving each of the town's 60 bollards a make-over.

He said: "I first saw this done at Winchester and it looked incredible."

He plans to ask schools, groups and individuals to come up with their own designs to transfer onto sticky plastic so the bollards can be wrapped with art work.

He said: "This will not damage the bollards but will give residents and visitors a unique experience when they walk through the town. It will certainly put Sheerness on the map."

The cost is estimated at £4,000 with the wraps lasting between three to five years.

He was talking during a Zoom meeting of the Sheerness Town Team on Tuesday . He told members he had received a "favourable response" from Swale council.

Town Team chairman Phil Crowder said the group was considering helping to pay for the scheme but added: "We are aware all the town's street furniture is to be repainted shortly and that Swale council has put the work out to tender. We do not envisage work on covering the bollards starting until the middle of next year."

The Town Team is to seek what permissions are needed from Swale council and Kent County Council. It has asked Mr Jeferies, who was responsible for the 'Sheerness' mural on the seawall at Beachfields, to also look into other sources of funding.

The Town Team is also looking at publishing a directory of all the shops in Sheerness highlighting contact numbers and listing the type of goods they sell. Mr Crowder said: "Swale council tells me it is planning to produce a virtual guide to the High Street in the future but I think there would still be a place for a printed version for those who don't have internet access."

He has received quotes for printing 15,000 copies of a 40-page A5 full-colour publication which would be delivered to all Island households. The next Town Team meeting is on Tuesday, October 13, at 7pm.

Read more: All the latest Sheppey news here