A MURAL paying tribute to the heroic efforts of Captain Tom Moore is spreading a little joy in Blackheath.

The artwork, which can be found on Bassano Road, pays tribute to Captain Sir Thomas Moore who raised a staggering £30m for the NHS by walking laps of his garden before his 100th birthday.

It also honours the armed forces and the heroic efforts of the NHS during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The mural is painted on a wall that belongs to Brookfleet taxis and The Little Beech pub, both owned by local couple Richard Wade and Mandy Wade.

Their daughter, Kiera Wade is the licensee of The Little Beech pub and commissioned the artwork.

She said: "We took the pub on last September and worked really hard, not just on the interior of the pub but to clear the wasteland that was located in front where the mural now stands.

"We wanted something eye-catching and to lift the spirits of the locals in these difficult times.

"Our children were so excited about the idea, they donated some of their pocket money to buy paints for the mural."

Kiera enlisted the help of local tattoo artist Lynsey Marshall, who along with her son Jasper, worked on the mural in the evenings to avoid curious passers-by.

Keira added: "We are blessed to have the talented Lynsey Marshall do such a wonderful job and we hope it will be admired for many years to come by the people of Blackheath."

Lynsey said: "When I was asked to do the mural, I couldn’t turn it down. It’s a subject close to my heart and I really did enjoy painting it with help from my son Jasper.”

The mural has been praised for brightening up the town and giving residents something to be proud of.

Councillor Danny Millard, who represents Blackheath, said: "This is a fantastic artwork which has really brightened up a corner of Blackheath that was in a bit of a mess before.

"This mural has made such a difference and given us something in Blackheath that we can all be really proud of.”