A BLACKBURN College student has used her artistic talents to brighten up the factory of celebrity TV tailor Patrick Grant.

The Great British Sewing Bee judge commissioned Emma Colbert to produce a large-scale mural for his Cookson and Clegg factory on Shadsworth Business Park.

And he was delighted with the result which he hopes will cheers up the 26 staff at Sovereign House in Lions Drive.

Miss Colbert, a BA (Hons) fine art student, was equally happy to have worked on the project for a fashion icon to boost a local workplace.

Mr Grant said: “The mural has transformed the workspace from every angle, providing a burst of joyous colour.

“Emma was a total pleasure to work with and the collective effort of the project was great.

“I really believe it is important people should come to work in a cheerful place, one where they can enjoy their job.

“I am absolutely delighted with the mural and was very pleased to be able to encourage a local talent to produce it.”

Miss Colbert, aged 26 from Oswaldtwistle, said: “It was a great experience to create this mural and I’m very proud of how the final piece turned out.

“Working alongside members of my year group on a commissioned project has been wonderful and I look forward to working on more projects such as this in the future.”

Her work followed the success of recent college graduate Stella Boothman – who was commissioned by Chorley-born Manchester United footballer Phil Jones, a former Blackburn Rovers player, to create a sculpture to be displayed in the England player’s home.

Miss Colbert shared her £2,000 fee with fellow student artists at the college including Lydia McCaig, Jack Bolton and Jane Beckwith who helped complete the mural. inspired by pattern cutting designs of the Cookson and Clegg garments.

Jamie Holman, the fine art programme’s leader added: “This project is the type of high-level commissioning and scholarship our students engage with on a regular basis. It exemplifies the quality of talent we nurture and the type of graduate we can develop.”