A RETIRED chef from New Ferry is turning heads with his latest artwork on the wall of a pub that was badly damaged during the town's devastating explosion.

Les Ellison, known as Mr Les, has spent his retirement creating abstract art with recycled and scrap materials but his most recent creation has taken him two-years to create.

Unveiled at the Cleveland Arms on Bebington Road, New Ferry on Friday, August 23, 84-year-old Mr Les has wowed punters with 'Garden on the Wall.'

Mr Les told the Globe: "I've been coming to the Cleveland Arms ever since owner Ann Grimes opened up and I try to support her in every way I can.

"The pub's beer garden wall was in need of some attention. The pub was battered in the explosion and Ann had to do a lot of work to get it back to what it's like today.

"So the wall is now making the pub come alive.

"When I started this project I had a very different idea in my mind of what I was going to do and after a bit, I thought 'no this isn't right' so I had to change it, and that's when I came up with 'the garden on the wall'.

"The centrepiece is a top of a garden table and all recycled.

"There's even Henry Hoover and all flowers are plastic and don't need water.

"I would love people to come and see the Garden on the Wall.

"They will say 'how can he do that?' - well come and see it."

Garden on the Wall is not the only Mr Les artwork adorning the walls of the Cleveland Arms - he has several pieces and makes one for Ann every year to mark her anniversary at the pub.

Wirral Globe:

Another creation from Mr Les

Among the projects include a piece to Romeo and Juliet and an affectionate nod to Breakfast at Tiffany's, Mr Les said: "The one with cups and saucers is 'late breakfast' when you're in a boarding house and you come down and the waiter says 'You're late for breakfast but the chef will make you a boiled egg and two rounds of toast'. "

Ann, who is a key voice for the Justice for New Ferry campaign and the New Ferry Community Land Trust, told the Globe: "The artwork that Mr Les creates is certainly unique and I have never seen anything like it.

"It's all completely recyclable which I love and the fact that it is really attractive, its what people come here to see. Les will make me something for the pub every year for my anniversary and every year he causes controversy.

"People either love it or hate it but even those who wouldn't particularly purchase something like that, actually find it interesting although they wouldn't have it in their own property.

"His work is amazing, he is such as generous and lovely gentleman and for 84 years young, he's doing absolutely marvellous and to do all of this today is just. He's been working on this for so long.

"With what the community has been through and he's always there day-in and day-out, he's always there to support and willing you on. It's amazing.

"He is an absolute gentleman, he really is."

So what's next for Mr Les?

"I've asked to do something for a hairdressers salon in New Ferry, so I said i'll do them a picture that no-one else has got," said Mr Les.

"So it will be for her. It'll probably take me about two years to do that."