HUNDREDS of children painted their favourite teddy bears on to a giant mural.

Around 500 children contributed to the mural over the last week, when they visited the Eastgate Shopping Centre in Basildon.

They used poster paints to create colourful images of their teddies, on nine 8ft by 4ft wooden boards.

The boards are now being stuck together, to form a giant 36ft tall mural.

Mike Horton, events manager for the Eastgate Centre, said: "It's going to look great when it is all put together, really colourful and full of imagination.

"We're not sure where to hang it yet, but it's a nice problem to have."