An stunning piece of artwork has been installed at a community church in Winton featuring a vision of local boy Cameron Cash.
Cameron’s life was tragically cut short at the age of 14 in September 2012 when he was killed while crossing the A580 East Lancs Road in Swinton.
Last week his family celebrated what would have been his 18th birthday.
Now he’s been immortalised in an 8ft by 4ft hand-painted vision at St Mary Magdalene’s Church in Winton.
Cameron and his younger brother Tom are both painted into the artwork on the arm of an angel.
Tom even has in his hands a pair of football boots signed by Wayne Rooney sent to him when the Manchester United star found out about Cameron’s tragic accident.
Parish preist Father Ian Hall described the artist, a local parishioner called Lynn Howarth, as “one of life’s good people”.
Read: Hundreds turn out in Swinton to pay tribute to Cameron Cash
51-year-old Lynn, who is originally from Lower Broughton, was a dinner lady at St Peter’s Primary School in Swinton and knew Cameron since nursery.
She’s been painting seriously for the last 10 years.
She told us: “I had one final panel left to paint and I found out about Cameron’s accident.
The right panel featuring Cameron, background by Walsingham
Lynn Howarth at work
“I’d looked after him since nursery, he was such a lovely boy and I thought he had to go in the piece, as it’s about reuniting people.
“It was by chance I ran in to his dad at a neighbour’s 30th birthday and I was just so glad that he and Cameron’s mum were so pleased with it.”
Each of the four panels took Lyn nearly two years to complete, and alongside the image of angels, Jesus, wildlife, green grass and meadows, each features the faces of local people.
The Bishop of Beverley visited St Mary Magdalene to bless the paintings when they were installed in 2015.
Parents Sharon Wylde and Paul Cash met SalfordOnline.com at the church to see the paintings up close for the first time.
“I’m speechless,” said Sharon, “it’s completely different seeing a picture online and then seeing it in real life.”
“I love it, it’s very peaceful and you can see that Cameron’s not alone either.
“It’s going to be there for years to come and I love the idea that if people come into the church they’ll look up and wonder, ‘Who are those little boys up there?’
Paul added: “It’s amazing. I’ve never seen anything like it before in my life. It’s humbling to see Tom with his brother and it gives us such comfort that Lynn’s thought of our son to do this.”
Father Ian Hall explained: “I think what Lynn is depicting here is a vision of heaven – you can see in the background what I believe is Walsingham, a medieval Anglo-Catholic shrine in Norfolk.
“It’s a wonderful thing to have in the church, as we have been at the heart of the community for over 100 years.”
You can view the paintings for yourself at St Mary Magdelene, at the corner of Beaufort Street and Westbourne Crescent in Winton.
