A determined artist has vowed to continue her colourful work despite a vandal scribbling nonsense across her paintings.

Charmaine Friday returned to the wall she had been working on yesterday evening to discover that someone had vandalised the colourful hands she was painting near to the bus stop.

“It seems such a shame that someone would do this,” she said.

“I’m disappointed but I’m not going to let this squash my spirit.

“I want people to have a better appreciation of art and I am determined to finish the paintings.”

Ms Friday had embarked on the art project as part of the preparations for the City Art Festival that takes place next month.

“This is obviously the work of an adult,” she said.

“I just hope that the person was caught on camera so he or she can be found.

“People walking past me have been very encouraging and some are just as annoyed as me that this has happened.

“I’m just going to keep it positive and carry on with my work.”

A police spokesman said that officers were aware of the vandalism that took place around City Hall and inquiries into the matter were under way.