PLANS for a graffiti display in Dorchester has been given a thumbs-up by town councillors.

Members of the town council’s management committee supported plans to bring a kickwall to Sandringham Sports Centre featuring designs by young graffiti artists.

Deputy town clerk Steve Newman spoke in favour of the plans at the committee meeting on Tuesday evening.

He said: “The need for a graffiti wall has been identified by the young people of the town and the youth community club.

“It’s going to be a one-off piece of art and will give added value to the wall that’s already there.”

Councillor Mollie Rennie said: “It’s about changing the perception of graffiti and how young people treat things – a lot of people said the skatepark would get covered in graffiti but it hasn’t.

“This is about listening and reacting positively to what people want, the youth club is very keen for this.

“It’s not just a wall that people paint on, it’s got games on it that you play and the graffiti is around the outside.

“I would like to think we could do this because very rarely do we do things young people ask us to do.”

Town mayor Tess James said: “Research has shown that if there are areas for use, it cuts down graffiti elsewhere.

“Most young people are sensible and they know that if it gets misused they would lose it.”