TEENAGERS would usually get a detention for painting on the side of their school library.

But art students at St Birinus School, Didcot, were asked to paint a giant mural of the town’s favourite books on theirs.

A huge bookshelf image was painted in one-hour sessions by boys aged 11 to 15 on Monday last week.

The town’s ten favourite books were chosen after more than 300 people completed surveys in the school and town libraries.

The book most voted for was Diary of a Wimpy Kid, by Jeff Kinney.

The school’s head of art, Richard Hudson, said the project aimed to promote art and reading.

He said: “Chances are it will be with the school for quite some time and it will stick in people’s minds.

“It is a pretty good achievement for the short space of time — some of the quality is excellent really.”

GCSE art student Jake Dobson, 15, said: “It was pretty good fun and it looks good as it has filled most of the wall. It looks better than before.

“I feel more excited about art now, but I think it will entice people to read more.”