NEWPORT body artists transformed flesh to flag in a novel St David's Day celebration.

The colourful homage to all things Welsh is the work of theatrical make-up lecturer Maria Retter and student Samantha Swift.

The pair, who work and study at Coleg Gwent in Cross Keys, spent two hours decorating a model with yellow daffodils and the Welsh flag to mark March 1.

Maria, 29, from Bassaleg, said: "It's just fantastic to be able to change someone's body and make it look so different - so they don't actually look naked at all.

"First we drew the design onto the model's body and then it was just a case of painting it in.

"We thought it would be a good way to celebrate St David's Day."

Student Samantha recently scooped first prize in Coleg Gwent's annual body painting event.

Her spectacular creation, titled Wise Willows, wowed the judges to win her a place in the National Student Make-Up competition in London.

Maria, who herself trained at Coleg Gwent and has worked for the Dolman and Congress theatres, said: "Bodypainting really grabs people's attention.