Artists on their marks to recreate ruined Olympic mural

A treasured Olympic mural which was mysteriously painted over in Kilmarnock could return to the town.

The artwork, which featured four of the burgh’s 2012 torch bearers, was whitewashed last year.

Town resident Jules Higgins, who knows two of the torchbearers, claimed whoever erased the artwork did so “with no thought to the community”.

She described it as “a spectacular mural which showed the true core of Kilmarnock as a community.”

It was not known who was responsible for its removal from a building on Sandbed Street, but East Ayrshire Council is now looking into a re-creation elsewhere in the area.

One potential location, identified at a cabinet meeting, is the Gibson’s building at the top of the Foregate.

Gwen Barker, the council’s policy performance and planning manager, said: “This is something that we are still considering as part of the overall refurbishment of the Foregate in Kilmarnock.

“At the moment we are looking at a range of options that we need to discuss with the building’s owner and the young people who are working with us on the overall design of any new murals.”

Featured on the artwork were triathlete Gregor Grant, karate expert David Coulter, swimmer Alan Jardine and boccia player Jamie McCowan.

Story by local democracy reporter Sarah Hilley