THE famous Red Arrows have made a surprise visit to a Somerset park - but not in the skies.

A mystery artist started work overnight on making sure a planned artwork at the revamped Memorial Park in North Petherton by local children has got off to a flying start.

Despite one of the many volunteers involved in the park’s enhancements having already prepared the blank canvas, Covid had delayed the artwork project for the famous wall, which the local community had wanted to save and develop as a young people’s arts and performance space, alongside all the new play and exercise equipment on the park.

Now, a surprise start has been made to the project - inkeeping with the origins of the park, gifted to the children of North Petherton in memory of local military victims of the Second World War.

North Petherton Town Council, on behalf of North Petherton Playing Fields Charitable Trust, has also just received the award for the Memorial Park as "2021 Field of the Year" by Somerset Playing Fields Association.

Cllr Linda Hyde, chair of the Trust, said: “The council is very proud of this recognition for all the hard work by the team of volunteers involved in the visioning and realisation of this special new outdoor facility in the heart of the community.”