WHEN art student Duncan Whittaker said he was bringing a car into school for his art project, little did his tutors know he meant a full-size mini!

The 18-year-old A-level student bought the car from a scrapyard in Altham for £60, thanks to a donation from his parents, and had it transported to the workshop at Habergham High School in Burnley.

Then he spent about six hours every week for four months, including Saturdays, cutting and welding and turning the car into a spectacular sculpture which took pride of place in the school foyer.

Duncan, from Caernarvon Avenue, Burnley, said: "I scanned photographs of animals into the computer and cut the shapes out. "I used a jig saw to cut animal outlines, then I set to work with a blow torch and drill and all the cut outs were fastened back in and painted. It looks a bit like a jungle."

Head of Art Neil Blackburn is delighted with Duncan's innovative sculpture and said he was set to get a top grade in his exam.

The scrap yard offered to buy back the car after Duncan had finished but he said he was going to send photographs to galleries in the hope that they may want to display his work.

Duncan added: "I can't draw so I had to do something different!"

He is going to study computer science at Loughborough University in October and hopes to become a Radio 1 DJ.

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