A contest to find a talented street artist has been launched by Borras Construction, the firm building the new library and health centre in Bedford Square.

All young people, aged between 16 and 22, have been invited to enter. The winner will paint their design on the blue hoarding, which is currently protecting the site.

Once complete the art work should measure around 20 metres long and two metres high.

John Riordan, site manager for the St Albans based company, came up with the idea for the competition, after he saw some hoarding at Stockwood Park, which had been painted by local school children.

He said: 'We had a few problems with vandalism from youths on the site at the beginning of the demolition.

'Now that has all stopped and I want to put a positive spin on things.'

'You see some fantastic street art in London tube stations and I'm hoping for something similar.

'The design needs to be good as it will be seen by the whole town from this September until April 2009, when the hoarding is coming down.'

Entrants will have a free rein on the style of art they choose and the winner will receive a prize.

In the first instance people are asked to take a A3 size copy of their entry into the Borras Construction site office in Angel Lane, Houghton Regis, marked for the attention of John Riordan.