SHOPPERS in the Victoria Shopping Centre had the seaside brought inside when a beach hut appeared in the centre.

Art students from South East Essex College were given the task of designing a beach hut for the shopping centre.

Each student designed a panel of the hut.

Lee Hey, course leader for art and design at the Southend college, said: “Students loved the idea of transforming relatively uninspiring huts into something fun, interesting and visually exciting.”

Student Lauren Feeney, 18, used graffiti art on her panel. She said: “It really helps brighten the centre up and as people get closer they can see the individual work which has gone into each panel.”