A 90-YEAR-OLD amateur artist, left paralysed down his right side after a stroke, has amazed his family by teaching himself to paint with his left hand.

Inspirational Andrew Hindle, of Church Walk, Brownhill, Blackburn, suffered a debilitating stroke four years ago, leaving the once-active pensioner housebound and unable to walk.

But he slowly gained more strength and taught himself to work again with a paintbrush. His home is now filled with dozens of framed watercolours of river scenes, woodland and sunsets.

Mr Hindle said his love of art gave him the will to recover and recommended painting to anyone who had suffered a stroke. He said: "Painting is a hobby that keeps my mind going - and stops me going doolally.

"Some of my most recent paintings are as good as the ones I did with my right hand, but as a painter you're never satisfied.

"A stoke makes you feel low and gets you down. If you don't jump out of it you might as well dig a hole and get in it."

Mr Hindle said he loved art from an early age but, despite winning an award from Manchester's Royal Academy of Art, never felt able to pursue it as a career. Instead he worked as a roofer, and later set up his own businesses building air raid shelters before the First World War.

While working in Manchester in the 1930s, he got the chance to see another very famous artist at work. He said: " I used to see a chap walking along Piccadilly. He always wore a trilby hat and every now and then he'd stop and get a little notebook out of his pocket and start sketching.

"It wasn't until afterwards I realised it was Lowry."

Daughter Sylvia Johnstone, 53, a retired nurse, of Nethertown Close, Whalley, said her father is an inspiration to others.

"Until four years ago dad was really active, driving around in his car," said said. "Then he had his stroke and he was really poorly. He had to learn how to walk again and still can't use his right hand. I'm so proud of him. At 90 years old, what he's doing is amazing."