Three billboards inside Stockport Greater Manchester

It was an idea inspired by a hit movie based in America's mid-west. Works of art which capture the changing landscape of Stockport have been blown up in size for all to see instead of being hidden in a gallery or private collection. Artist Helen Clapcott has been painting the town where she was raised from the age of ten for decades. Her work can now sell in galleries for tens of thousands of pounds.

The 2017 film, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri, a dark comedy starring Frances McDormand, was the trigger for presenting her work in different way. In the movie a mother rents three billboards and emblazons them with black lettering to comment on the failure police to solve a disturbing crime.

Now three billboards in Wellington Street near to Robinson's brewery have been used to display enlarged versions of original paintings by Helen. "I was walking in the area and saw three big empty billboards and thought 'I could stick something up on those'. The idea was triggered by the film - the sight of forlorn, empty billboards during lock-down and a desire to see my small paintings enlarged, said Helen.

The paintings: Dog and Tyres, originally a 22 by 30 centimetres work; The Last Carnival (40 by 50 ); and The Last of Stockport Paper Mill (41 by 61) have each been enlarged to fill the billboards. "I have sold two of the originals but still have The Last Carnival. They went up last week and will be up for another three weeks," said Helen.

The Last of Stockport Paper Mill depicts the demolition of one of the great landmarks of the town, now replaced by a retail park. The Last Carnival, from 2018, depicts an annual march up the A6 which was a mix of floats, majorettes, bands and "daft costumes". Dog and Tyres is real scene