IT IS the stunning new mural that will showcase the history of a Southampton area.

The mural shows the history of the Bevois Mount area of Southampton and is located on the side of the Bitter Virtue beer shop on the junction of Cambridge and Alma Road.

A group of four retired teachers and a street artist joined forces to create the striking piece.

The idea came from Ally Hayes, Fiona Barnes, Wendy Stokes and John Hayward who are all from the Bevois Mount area in Southampton and are also members of Outer Avenue Residents Association.

After they discovered a shared interest in history they created a research group called Bevois Mount History in 2013.

It was Ally’s idea to create a mural and she suggested it to Bevois Mount History who then consulted the local community.

Ally said: “It feels amazing that we have seen it become a reality from the drawing board. Before it was a tatty crumbling wall. Now it’s the backdrop for street parties, which we hold twice a year”.

The professional mural artist who worked on the piece is Winchester-born street artist Slam Daniels, 44, from Woolston.

It took Mr Daniels 16 days to complete and he did much of work at night to allow images to be projected onto the wall.

He has previously done street art and murals in the city, having painted a mural on Redbridge School’s sports hall and one at James Street, St Mary’s.

Mr Daniels said: “It has been an eye-opener and it’s been positive. I usually get a good response but not to the degree I’ve had here. People have been hanging around taking photos.

"If it’s made others happy it’s made me happy. I’m proud of it.”

Fiona Barnes, from the group, was delighted with the end result, and said: “The response from everyone walking past has been that it is beautiful and stunning, and it is.”

The mural consists of 10 images of interest in the area.

These include the former Bevois Mount House, the old Stag Gates that originally led to the house, a suffragette, The Titanic, a horse-drawn Victorian omnibus, a cherry tree, a map of the area from the early 1900’s, a quote by the writer Alexander Pope, The Alma Inn which once stood opposite and lastly the legendary knight Sir Bevis who gave his name to the area.

The mural is divided into three parts, with one panel depicting the Stag Gates and what Bevois Mount House may have looked like, the middle panel is a 1905 map of the area, and there is also a portrait of Sir Bevois of Hampton, while the final panel shows icons of Southampton’s history.

There will be a inauguration of the mural on Sunday, this will take place on Alma Road and includes live music and food from 1pm to 4pm.