Going into hospital can be a scary experience for a child, so a Radlett man is lending his artistic skills to paint a circus themed mural in a casualty ward.

Father-of-two Leigh Warman was inspired to get to work at Watford General Hospital when his 12-year-old son, Jackie, was rushed to hospital with appendicitis two months ago.

The Newberries Avenue resident also painted a mural in a children’s department at Barnet General Hospital in 2010.

He said: "Going into hospital can be a horrendous experience for an adult, let alone a child.

"Jackie was taken to Barnet hospital, and seeing how scared he was made me realise that I wanted to paint another wall in another hospital.

"I chose the accident and emergency department at Watford because I took my ten-year-old daughter, Lola, there for a sprained wrist not so long ago. The staff were all fantastic so this is a nice way to thank them.

"I know from my own experiences that this is going to be very worthwhile."

The mural, which Mr Warman is starting tomorrow, will be painted free of charge. It will feature circus animals across the corridor that leads into the casualty department and treatment rooms.

The 48-year-old is being sponsored by firms Aspen Link and Scene Double. Johnstones’s are donating the paint materials free of charge.

He added: "My kids are really proud of me, and have even asked if they can lend a hand.

"I’m very excited to get started. It’s something I can do to help the kids stop being scared and make the process a bit easier for them, so it’s going to be so worth it."