ART by more than 200 young artists is to go on display at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford.

Almost 1,000 schoolchildren in the county submitted their best efforts for the first Oxford Young Art exhibition.

The scheme, which sees all the artwork sold in aid of research into children's cancer, has been running in London for 17 years, with the very best work going on display at the London Royal College of Art.

But this was the first time the county's young artists had a chance to take part in their own competition.

Mothers Shena Merson and Belinda Hanson decided to launch the contest in Oxfordshire to recognise artistic talent among children in the area.

Mrs Merson said: "My daughter's an art scholar at Headington School, and I've always thought some of the art that kids do is so 'mega' that it should really be hung and seen.

"I was talking to a fellow mum and she was interested in the idea as well so we decided that we'd link it to the London Young Art scheme and start the Oxford branch.

"I was very impressed with the response. Everybody has been incredibly enthusiastic and the quality of work is terrific. There's a lot of talent out there."

Sixteen public and state schools were involved, with children aged between four and 13 taking part.

Mrs Hanson said she had been surprised by the response and hoped it would become an annual event.

She said: "I've already had three or four schools who said with more warning they would be involved, and I've had parents with children in one of the participating schools asking about another school which their other children went to.

"I hope next year even more children could be involved, which would be great."

The work will go on display in the museum next Wednesday and Thursday, May 7 and 8.

Judges Andrew Nairne, director of the Modern Art Oxford gallery, and children's author and illustrator Tony Ross, of Horrid Henry fame, have selected a winner in three age categories, four to six, seven to ten and 11 to 13, which will go on to the Royal College of Art Exhibition from Monday to Thursday, May 12 to 15.

One of the winners was Tom Stacey, five, a pupil at the Dragon School, in Oxford, with his picture of a car.

He said: "I didn't think I was going to win it, and I'm really proud."

The exhibition will be open from 2pm to 5pm on May 7 and 10am to 6pm on May 8.