Mayor of St Albans, Councillor Geoff Harrison, was impressed with art by local youngsters when he attended a private view at a city centre gallery.

The walls of the ground floor at Gallery Rouge in Chequer Street were lined with paintings, prints and multi-media works created by pupils of a local school for their GCSE and A Level examinations in art.

Speaking at the opening of the exhibition, he said it had been instructive for the pupils to place a value on their work. "From what I have seen they have undervalued their pieces," he said.

Director of Gallery Rouge, Kuldip Chohan, is keen to promote new art and the art industry, especially to young people.

He said: "My parents wouldn't let me study art because they didn't see it as a real subject.

"The connection with the young people is about trying to make them and their parents understand that art is a viable vocation."

It was with that in mind that he invited St Albans School to hold an exhibition in his gallery, with almost 40 works on display.

Mr Chohan added: "I want the students to understand what it's like to be a professional, commercial artist, because they won't get this opportunity ordinarily."

The school’s head of art, Tim Jenkins, said: "This is a prestigious opportunity for our students. Many artists have to work for years before they feature in an exhibition."

The exhibition remains open until Friday.