A VETERAN artist is putting the finishing touches to an exhibition which features three colourful characters from his town's past.

Bob Lakey, 70, of Carr Road, Darwen, is to display up to 17 pencil drawings of real people at Darwen Library from August 18 to September 9.

He has researched lives of people ranging from red indians and showmen to Darwen's very own champion boxer Billy Brennan, strongman Bill Hunt and rag and bone man Val De Ree.

He said: "I've done a write-up on all the characters featured in the exhibition. I still have a lot of conflicting information on Val De Ree which I want to get sorted out before I finish his history."