A SOUTH East Cornwall woman is hoping she could be named as Britain's best amateur artist when a new BBC series hits the screens this weekend.

Anthea Lay is one of 10 artists taking part in The Big Painting Challenge, a six-part series which sees competitors paint against the clock under the scrutiny of judges Daphne Todd and Lachlan Goudie.

The series, presented by Una Stubbs and Richard Bacon, has been filmed in various locations around the UK and begins at Alnwick Castle in Northumberland – known to many as Hogwarts.

Anthea, 68, from Kelly Bray, said it was the excitement of painting to a deadline which first tempted her to try out for the show.

'They wanted people of all ages and backgrounds who could paint anything, anywhere, to a timescale and that's what attracted me,' she said.

Now retired, Anthea's varied working life has included 15 years as an officer in the Navy and a career as a teacher. Her last job was as an art technician at saltash.net community school, but she says she has always painted, particularly enjoying landscape painting in oils.

After three rounds of auditions, including a live drawing and painting challenge where judges 'tried everything to distract' the candidates, Anthea was delighted to be told she had won a place on the series.

Filming was intense, she said, with three or four timed challenges to carry out each day.

'We were up at six and painting until ten o'clock at night. The series covers all the genres from landscapes, to life drawing,' said Anthea.

'For me there were loads of awful, cringing moments – like when a judge described my portrait as a "kaleidoscope of catastrophe". They didn't mince their words!'

Ultimately the experience has been hugely positive for Anthea, who will only reveal that she has 'done quite well' in the series where one competitor is knocked out each week.

'It was a wonderfully exciting challenge – stressful, but lovely,' she said. 'The criticism was constructive. The series wants to encourage people to paint.'

Anthea currently exhibits at the Wharf Cafe in Tavistock and at the Kit Hill tea rooms, and says that when she sells a painting, she will use the money to travel more widely. 'Going to the locations in the series really inspired me,' she said.

Episode One of The Big Painting Challenge will be screened on BBC One on Sunday (February 22) at 6pm.