A PAINTING of a Ribble Valley beauty spot by Prince Charles has been unveiled at the launch of a nationwide search for budding young artists.

The countryside scene, never before seen in public, depicts the Duke of Westminster's Abbeystead Estate in the Trough of Bowland.

Prince Charles is calling on youngsters aged 16 to 21 to record daily life in a contest called the Young Britain Artists' Award.

The 50 best pictures will be exhibited alongside Prince Charles's paintings, including the Abbeystead scene, at London's Hampton Court Palace.

The display will open on November 14, the prince's 50th birthday.

And the winners and their families will be invited to a special presentation ceremony at St James's Palace.

Art-lover Charles is launching the competition in an attempt to draw out some of the nation's hidden talent.

He wants young artists to paint their impressions of Britain in their own distinctive style.

At the launch of the competition, the prince said he felt the artwork would provide a "unique record of Britain as seen through the eyes of its young people at the end of the 20th century." Entrants can depict a landscape, a portrait or an event such as a pop concert or sports meeting.

Proceeds from the sale of special catalogues featuring the winners will be donated to the Prince of Wales's Charitable Foundation for disadvantaged youngsters.

The judges will be Prince Charles and top artists John Ward, Susannah Fiennes, John Napper and Robbie Wraith.

The winners will have their pictures framed by Asprey, the royal jewellers, who are sponsoring the award, and there will be cash prizes of up to £500, as well as art materials and special certificates for up to 200 entries.

Entries should be drawn or painted on paper no larger than 20 by 30 inches and posted unframed by September 4 to: Young Artists' Britain, Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey, KT9 BAU.

On the back give your name, address, phone number, date of birth, title and the medium in which the picture has been created.

Write "Lancashire Evening Telegraph" if you heard of the award through us.

Further details are available from the Young Artists' Britain office on 01426 918402.

Organisers were left baffled when an article about the competition in The Mirror newspaper mistakenly referred to Abbeystead as being in the Scottish Highlands.

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