The country's first accredited course in face painting has been set up on Wearside for students to brush up their skills.

Washington woman Karen Routledge, an education and funding consultant, has teamed up with Sunderland Community Voluntary Service (CVS), to deliver the course for the Open College Network.

Karen, who has been face painting for fun for 20 years, was holding a training course in fund-raising when one of the women asked if she would go along to a community group.

She said: "I thought she meant would I go along and do some face painting for an event, but then she said that actually she wanted me to teach the others how to face paint."

Since then Karen has held several sessions in the region, which have always been fully booked and has held courses in other parts of the country.

She said: "It is mainly a practical-based course providing exercises in the art itself and proves that everyone can face paint successfully and have fun, too.

"Although mainly designed for community groups and schools the course is also attracting bookings from businesses, parents and individuals wishing to pursue face painting as a career."

As part of the course each delegate will receive a professional face painting kit for more than 700 faces including paints, brushes, sponges and display photographs.

All practising is done on child-size model heads during the day-long course, which is open for ages 14 and over.

Karen is planning the next course to take place in Washington on Saturday, December 8, and will be doing another course at Sunderland CVS centre in the New Year.

The course costs £99 including the Open College Network Accreditation and Certificate and the professional face painting kit, which is worth about £60.

Anyone wanting further details should contact Karen on Karen@karenroutledge.co.uk or telephone 415 4090.