ART student Emily Spruce decided to brighten up riverside walks - and recruited an entire community to help her. She crossed the Irwell on her way to university every day but had to look at a gloomy graffiti-covered bridge and walls.

But with the help of primary school children and a youth club she has painted a colourful 114 ft mural at the location.

The work is part of an ambitious multi-million pound scheme to create an inner-city park along the banks of the river as it winds through Manchester and Salford. Emily, who is studying illustration and animation at Manchester Metropolitan University, said: "I live in Salford and walk over Woden Street Bridge every day. My friends and I often felt uneasy walking there because it is badly lit and there is horrible graffiti on the bridge and walls nearby.

"I thought I should be doing something to try and improve the place and sent e-mails everywhere asking for help." Eventually Central Salford Urban Regeneration Company donated £5,000 to finance materials for the mural and the setting up of workshops for children at Primrose Hill Primary in Ordsall, who got involved.

Emily said: "The schoolchildren helped to paint the mural and older youngsters from a local youth club helped, too.

"The bridge is at a point where the borders of Salford, Manchester, and Trafford meet. I decided to put landmark buildings from all three areas in the mural - including Urbis, Salford University, Manchester Central Library and Salford Lads Club."

A £25m bid for Lottery funding for the Irwell City Park scheme was submitted in 2007 but was not short-listed.

But the plan has been revised and last year it gained £1.1m in funding from the North West Development Agency and Salford, Manchester and Trafford councils for preparatory works.