A FORMER church minister from Hampstead Garden Suburb is in the running to have his artwork displayed on a London bridge as part of a national art competition.

Roger Scopes, who lives in Grey Close, is one of 100 artists shortlisted from entries across the UK for a competition called London Lives, developed by Bankside Gallery in partnership with Cass Art and Network Rail.

The winning entry will be displayed on Blackfriars Bridge for a year and seen by millions of commuters as Blackfriars Station undergoes a multi-million pound redevelopment.

A Congregational Church minister from 1961 to 1995, Mr Scopes only properly took up painting after he retired, attending art classes at the Institute in Hampstead Garden Suburb.

Mr Scopes' work, a watercolour depicting Hampstead Heath, and those of all shortlisted artists, will be featured in an exhibition at Bankside Gallery, located next to Tate Modern, which runs from September 9 to 19.

The winning artist, and the runners-up, will be announced at a prize giving ceremony on September 8. For more details of the exhibition visit www.banksidegallery.com