A Winchester pensioner has branded a city council project, which has allowed young people to graffiti part of the town centre as "vile".

Lizette Bennett, from Wales Street, said the artwork displayed on the Oxfam shop at Cross Keys passage was unsuitable for a "cathedral city as beautiful as Winchester".

But city arts bosses say the new look between the Broadway and Silver Hill gives added colour and interest to a gloomy part of the city.

The passage now displays five wooden panels with comic-strip images, which includes pictures of chickens and speech bubbles.

Grandmother-of-two, Mrs Bennett, said of the display: "I'm artistic and it's vile. Considering it's such an enormous change, something more creative might have been more appropriate."

Mrs Bennett (84) dismissed the project as a waste of council taxpayers' money. "Why waste money when we already pay such a high tax bill?" she said.

The project was the commissioned by "Graffiti Busters" - a partnership between various agencies, including the police and probation service, aimed at tackling the problem of random graffiti.

Artists, Keziah Hoffman and Davidos Quailos, completed the work last Sunday. Arts development officer, Marilyn Michalowicz explained that Cross Keys Passage had been chosen for the art project as the area had a history of being repeatedly targeted by graffiti artists.

"What has been discovered elsewhere is when a wall is properly painted, it commands more respect and is less likely to be spoiled."

She disagreed that the artwork was in conflict with the rest of the city. "There are a lot of creative people here, particularly young people, and they also have their idea of style.

"It should be possible for them to express themselves. It's not in conflict with the beautiful city of Winchester.

"One of the most abstract and colourful pieces of art in the city is 500 years old - the west window of the cathedral," she added. "At the time that was probably controversial."

Graham Love, of Winchester City Centre Partnership, said: "The artwork looks great. I've noticed people of all ages admiring the creative talent of the artists' work. Community art is a colourful alternative to walls daubed with graffiti and helps lift the presentation of otherwise disused areas."