LOCAL artist Bob Ashley is staging an exhibit of his work to raise money for a blind society.

The exhibition entitled "Sights Specific" will continue at Unit 11, Albion Mill, Burnley Road East, Waterfoot, until the end of the month.

Bob, pictured with one of his exhibits, lives in Newchurch and is in his sixties. A former engineer in the Grimsby and South Humberside area he has lived in Rossendale for six years and took up art seriously as a mature student at the University of Central Lancashire.

He also did an art course at Burnley College.

He does portraits and also specialises in contemporary and abstract work.

Earlier this year he went on holiday with his new wife Patricia and his parents to an hotel at Rhyl.

He said: "It was booked by my parents who hadn't realised it was an hotel run by the Henshaw Society for the Blind.

"It was quite a moving experience with most of the people there either partially sighted or totally blind."

He said the society was trying to raise £14,000 for automatic opening front doors and that was why he had decided to stage his charity exhibition.

Visitors to the exhibition are invited to make donations which could include purchase of Bob's works.