NEXT time you are out and about in Alton, be sure to keep an eye out for hand-painted rocks.

There will be quite a few colourful rocks hidden away around the town after a successful rock-painting morning at Alton Community Centre on June 9 when Primrose Jones held another of her popular monthly sessions.

Primrose began painting rocks last October to help her overcome depression and decided to share new found art with people, many of whom, like Primrose, had never painted before.

There are now believed to be more than 2,000 rock painters all over the world, including the United States and Hong Kong - and one of Primrose’s rocks recently turned up at the Sydney Festival of Light in Australia!

Primrose, who heads the Alton Rock Painting Group, holds her sessions on the second Saturday of every month at Alton community centre. Entry is a £1 and includes a bag of rocks plus tea, coffee or squash with biscuits.

Everyone paints their own designs and not only is it creative and therapeutic but it also promtes friendship.

“It is very social,” said Primrose, “and through it I have made a lot of new friends. It helped me through a bad time when I had depression.

“Painting rocks is therapeutic and when our artists have finished they find hiding places for them in and around the town for people to find, and unexpectedly finding one can make a person feel happy.”

And she added: “People of all ages are welcome to come along, and even if you haven’t ever done any painting before it is surprising how creative you become.”