KIDDERMINSTER-born musician Nick J. Townsend is celebrating after a painting was commissioned of him to hang in Kidderminster Town Hall.

Nick, frontman of long-running metal band WEAK13, said it was an honour to see his painting hanging in the bar of the Town Hall.

Nick was responsible for organising weekly and monthly music nights at venues in Kidderminster in the early 2000's, as well as an annual rock festival at Kidderminster Town Hall.

The painting will form part of the Kidderminster Music Heritage Trail.

He said: "We started doing all these events in the town - and getting 500 people turning to at the Town Hall for the festival.

"At the time, we got Kidderminster on CFax. A small rock concert in Kidderminster was featured on Teletext.

"Then in 2005 there was a live BBC broadcast of the festival at the Town Hall. We did so much for the music scene in the town."

Nick added: "The first time I saw the painting, I couldn't believe it - it actually looks like me. They had me centre stage, right in the bar area.

"It is really amazing. The Town Hall holds 500 to 600 people and it wasn't being used for years for live music.

"I am really chuffed with the painting - it could have been any Kidderminster artist.

"It is really quite an honour."

Nicola Genner, arts and play development officer at Wyre Forest District Council, said: "Mural artist Peter Barber has been commissioned to create a new piece of art which will form one stop on the Kidderminster Music Heritage Trail.

"The mural inside Kidderminster Town Hall celebrates our music scene past and present, from faces of current bands like Nick Townsend of Weak13 to memorabilia from Town Hall gigs of the past.

"We aim to continue developing exciting multimedia elements for the trail ensuring that our musical heritage is not lost and is integrated in the town’s regeneration."