A BASINGSTOKE painter has immortalised a sentimental family photo by recreating it on to a canvas.

Neil Jepson, from Black Dam, discovered the old image of his father Walter and his friend Micky Manbridge from the 1950s and became infatuated with it.

The 34-year-old told The Gazette that he has always loved everything to do with the “dream era” of the 50s.

“The photo just stood out to me,” said Neil. “It was in an old family photo album that was covered in dust, so when I found it, it was like uncovering treasure.

“I instantly told my dad that I wanted to paint it and he said ‘it’s a little bit ambitious’ and there were points when I thought I had bitten off more than I can chew.”

The self-proclaimed perfectionist has always had an affinity with art since the age of three, adding: “I think it was my destiny to paint this picture.”

The original sketching process of the image began over five years ago, with Neil spending two to three hours a day trying to recreate the iconic original taken in Flaxfield Road, Basingstoke.

However, the painter dropped everything when his dad suddenly and unexpectedly fell ill. “It was really strange as I had just finished painting my dad then out of nowhere he suddenly fell ill,” added Neil.

“It was so unexpected as he is such a fit man, I almost thought the picture was cursed so I decided to stop.

“When dad got better he told me to carry on, but I told him it was cursed to which he said ‘who cares if it is, we are all going to die just get on and finish it’.”

So after a three-and-a-half year break, Neil picked up his brush to complete what he calls “the pinnacle of my painting career”.

“Thankfully my dad was really happy with the final piece.”

Neil has entered his painting into the BBC’s Sky Artist of the Year competition and will be selling prints at this year’s Basingstoke Festival.