A BRAVE artist diagnosed with terminal cancer at just 21 has painted her first portrait of a community hero for a major project at Clitheroe Castle.

Ellen Riley, who grew up in Hurst Green and lives in Barrowford with husband Cedric Charleuf, was diagnosed with a brain tumour in November three days before her 22nd birthday.

Now the former Blackburn College pupil is on the hunt for Ribble Valley’s community champions, whose portraits will hang at the Clitheroe Castle Museum in an exhibition called Heroes.

Ellen’s portrait of disability activist Simon O’Rourke, 36, of Black Lane Croft, Clitheroe, who was confined to a wheelchair after an industrial accident six years ago, has been completed.

And now she has started her second portrait featuring community champion Laura Bailey Quinton, 77, a campaigner for the relief of Third World debt and a volunteer for the Grand and St Paul’s Playgroup in Clitheroe.

Ellen said: “When you are faced with huge events in your life, the everyday people who surround you can turn out to be heroes and, by painting their portraits, I would like to commemorate the actions of local people who do or have done heroic things.”

Ellen had been studying art and literature in France but she returned home to the UK and the care of her mum, dad, four siblings, Thomas, Kitty, Mary and Xavier.

To nominate a hero for a portrait write to Clitheroe Heroes Exhibition, c/o Rachel Jackson, Clitheroe Castle Museum, Clitheroe, Lancs, BB7 1BA.