The borough is using new technology to tackle graffiti

Designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen will judge the entries in the contest run by Lewisham council as part of its Let's Beat Graffiti campaign.

In February a scheme where graffiti is reported via text message was launched in the south-east London borough.

The winning design, which will have an anti-graffiti theme, is to be displayed on the side of a council refuse truck.

Mr Llewelyn-Bowen said: "I'm looking forward to seeing the artwork; I know there's a lot of talent out there!

"It's important that young people channel their artistic energies into the right areas, and it will be exciting to see what they can come up with."

The council says that so far 100 people around the borough have signed up to the mobile phone scheme.

They have downloaded software which allows them to take photographs of vandalism with their handsets and then send them in to the council.

The Sydenham Society has offered to take pictures of graffiti for those without the technology to do so.