A WATERCOLOUR painting went under the hammer and raised £200 to be shared between Halesowen in Bloom and the Leasowes Walled Garden.

The picture, depicting the parish church of St John the Baptist, was used as the front cover of the brochure detailing the work that went into the town’s regional Britain in Bloom entry last year, in which it won a gold award.

Artist Bill Hazlehurst, a member of Hagley Art Club, decided to auction it off to the highest bidder to boost the coffers of this year’s bloom bid and the renovation of the historic walled garden “I’m 80 now and can’t dig gardens or plant flowers any more, but I can help provide the means for others to – so that was my contribution,” said the retired computer engineer.

The painting was bought by Halesowen businessman Tony Billingham, who grew up in Birmingham Street, with a view of the church from his bedroom window.

He said: “My father was the fire and ambulance officer and we lived in one of a pair of purpose-built semis – the only houses remaining. I was born there in 1940 and the view from my bedroom window was the church. I didn’t need a watch – I could always see the clock and it was always chiming.”

“There are lots of photographs of the church but Bill’s painting is very detailed he’s got it off to a tee.”