NOT all superheroes wear capes, and a number of them are now pride of place in the window of a national department store thanks to the artistic efforts of Prudhoe schoolchildren.

In an effort to celebrate the nation’s unsung heroes, John Lewis has called upon schoolchildren up and down the country to sketch their hero.

Portraits drawn by local schoolchildren of community members who make a positive impact on their lives will be showcased in John Lewis windows until September 1.

Twenty carefully-crafted artworks are on show at Newcastle’s John Lewis store.

Schoolchildren from Prudhoe Castle First School were among those whose portraits were chosen.

Rebecca Robinson, (8) chose her father as the subject of her artwork.

She said: “My dad works really hard but he also spends a lot of time with me.”

Whilst five-year-old Molly Page chose her ballet teacher. She said: “She designed all the costumes for our show, Lilo and Stitch and the Disney Pirates. She is a really good teacher.”

The chosen portraits were selected from over 7000 entries for a competition launched by John Lewis in March this year challenging school pupils, aged between five and eight years old, to illustrate someone in their community they felt was worth celebrating.

The 7,458 entries were reviewed by John Lewis partners and team members from Hopscotch, the leading specialist consultancy for education programmes.

John Lewis community investment manager Emma Marchant, who led the project, said: “We have really enjoyed reviewing the illustrations from these budding artists from Newcastle, and the fascinating stories behind why these people are so special to the children; deciding on the final selection was no easy feat.

“It’s great to be able to offer these talented schoolchildren a platform to celebrate people they consider a national treasure and to give them a space to showcase their artistic skills on the high street.”